Would-be college laptop thief gets four months

by Martina Nee

A four month jail sentence was imposed on a Tuam man who tresspassed on a college campus with the purpose of stealing a student’s laptop.

Edward McTigue (23) with an address at Ahgloragh, Tuam, Co Galway, had previously pleaded guilty to entering a building known as ‘The Reading Room’ at the James Hardiman Library at NUI, Galway, as a tresspasser and attempting to commit the theft of a laptop on March 20, 2011, contrary to Section 12(1)(b) and (3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Act 2001. McTigue was also charged with failing to appear in court on October 3, 2011.

The court heard that the father of three has had a problem with alcohol since he was a teenager and that his family have tried to get him help. Defence solicitor Sean Acton added that the tresspass incident had been fuelled by his client’s alcohol addiction. He said that McTigue is back in the family home again and is getting support.

Inspector Sean Glynn told the court that McTigue has previous convictions including public order, burglary, theft, and criminal damage.

“It is a deliberate act to enter a building [as a tresspasser]... People who use a computer for work or for college put a lot of effort and time into it, and a theft like this could affect their exams and work. It is serious,” said Judge Mary Fahy before imposing the four month sentence for the theft and a one month sentence, to run concurrently, for failing to appear. The sentence was backdated to February 6 last.