Ireland Man sentenced over trespass at Portlaoise Garda Station
On 10 October 2023, a man was arrested moments after allegedly breaking into Portlaoise Garda Station in Co Laois. Gardaí said he entered through a secure station door immediately after a garda had exited, and they stopped him upstairs at around 9am. Liam Carroll, 37, of Roscrea, Co Tipperary, admitted trespassing, and Judge Andrew Cody at Portlaoise District Court convicted him and sentenced him to one month, suspended for two years, as reported in December 2023.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced8 Dec
3 reports
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A man was arrested moments after allegedly breaking into Portlaoise Garda Station.
- Gardaí said the man entered through a secure station door immediately after a garda had exited.
- Where
- The incident happened at Portlaoise Garda Station in Co Laois.
- When
- The man was seen entering the station at around 9am on 10 October 2023.
- Investigation
- Gardaí stopped the man upstairs in the station.
- Charges
- Liam Carroll, 37, admitted trespassing at Portlaoise Garda Station on 10 October 2023.
- In court
- The case was heard at Portlaoise District Court, where the defence asked the judge to take the guilty plea into account.
- Sentence
- Judge Andrew Cody convicted him and sentenced him to one month, suspended for two years.
- Other details
- Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had 65 previous convictions between 2003 and 2016.
- The defence said he had been homeless for a long time, was living in a homeless shelter in Dunkerrin, was seeing a drug counsellor and was taking methadone.
- The defence solicitor described the incident as a slip, and one account also attributes that description to the garda sergeant.
27 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man was arrested moments after breaking into the Garda Station in Portlaoise. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatThe defendant was seen entering through a secure station door immediately after a garda had exited. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatThe man went upstairs before gardaí stopped him. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatThe man was seen entering through a secure station door immediately after a garda had exited. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatGardaí stopped the man upstairs in the station. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatLiam Carroll admitted trespassing at Portlaoise Garda Station on 10 October 2023. (tipperarylive.ie)
- whatThe man entered through a secure station door immediately after a garda had exited. (tipperarylive.ie)
- whereThe incident happened at Portlaoise Garda Station. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe trespass took place at Portlaoise Garda Station. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe man was arrested in Portlaoise after entering the Garda station. (tipperarylive.ie)
- whenThe defendant admitted trespassing at Portlaoise Garda Station on 10 October 2023. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe man was seen entering the station at around 9am. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe man was seen entering the station at around 9am on the morning in question. (tipperarylive.ie)
- investigationA man was arrested moments after breaking into the station. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationGardaí stopped the man after he went upstairs in the station. (tipperarylive.ie)
- chargeThe accused admitted trespassing. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Portlaoise District Court. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- courtThe defence asked the judge to take the guilty plea into account. (offalyexpress.ie, tipperarylive.ie)
- sentenceThe judge convicted the defendant and sentenced him to one month suspended for two years. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceJudge Andrew Cody convicted the defendant and sentenced him to one month suspended for two years. (tipperarylive.ie)
- otherThe defendant had 65 previous convictions between 2003 and 2016. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe garda sergeant described the incident as a slip. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe defendant had been homeless for a long time and was living in a homeless shelter in Dunkerrin. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe defendant's solicitor said he had turned his life around and that the incident was a slip. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe defendant was seeing a drug counsellor and taking methadone. (offalyexpress.ie, tipperarylive.ie)
- otherThe garda sergeant said the defendant had 65 previous convictions between 2003 and 2016. (tipperarylive.ie)
- otherThe defendant's solicitor said he had been homeless for a long time and was living in a homeless shelter. (tipperarylive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 11 Dec2023Tipperary man appears in court after being arrested breaking into Garda Station
Reports the court outcome: Liam Carroll admitted trespassing, was convicted, and received a suspended one-month sentence. Adds the man's address, the time of entry, the garda's account of the entry and arrest, his previous convictions and the mitigation offered.
convicted, Liam Carroll, 37, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Carroll - 11 Dec2023Man appears in court after being arrested breaking into Garda Station in the Midlands
Court report from Portlaoise District Court adds the sentence, the accused's age and address, his 65 previous convictions, his homelessness and treatment, his guilty plea, and the garda sergeant's account of the arrest.
convicted, Liam Carroll, 37, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Carroll - 8 Dec2023Man broke into Portlaoise Garda Station
Reports the court hearing at Portlaoise District Court: the garda evidence that the man entered a secure door after a garda had exited, his 65 previous convictions (2003 to 2016), the defence mitigation (homelessness, a shelter, drug counselling, methadone), and the conviction and suspended sentence.
convicted, Liam Carroll, 37, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Carroll