Jail for church thief with sticky fingers

A man with a penchant for stealing cash from church collection boxes by using a piece of sticky tape attached to a length of wire has been jailed for fourteen months.

Charles Cunniffe (35), with former addresses in Tuam and Headford, and more recently Cope Day Centre, Seamus Quirke Road, Galway, appeared in custody before Galway District Court this week where he became belligerent and insulting towards Judge Mary Fahy and towards barrister, James Charity, who had been appointed to represent him under the Free Legal Aid scheme.

Cunniffe pleaded guilty last October to several charges of theft from churches around the city and to other offences. Sentence was adjourned to this week for the preparation of a probation report.

He had admitted having a length of wire with sticky tape attached with the intention of using it in connection with the theft of small amounts of cash from St. Nicholas’ Church, Market Street, on June 16 last; from Barna Church on August 6;  from Sacred Heart Church, Westside, on July 6; and from the Franciscan Abbey on August 13.

He also pleaded guilty to burglary at Colaiste Iognaid, Sea Road, on February 28 last and to another charge of burglary at Costa, Quay Street, on September 10.

Cunniffe further pleaded guilty to assaulting a man at Gala, Prospect Hill, on February 28 last and to driving without    insurance or a driving licence on October 21 last year.

Reading the probation report, which had been handed into court, Judge Fahy said the probation officer was recommending Cunniffe be assessed by a psychiatrist prior to sentence taking place.

Cunniffe became abusive and insulting towards the judge and his barrister on several occasions during the hearing.

Judge Fahy advised him to stay quiet unless he had something positive to say.  Otherwise, she said, she would have him removed from the court room and would sentence him in his absence, if he so wished.

Cunniffe promptly sat down, flanked by two prison guards and remained quiet as sentence was passed.

Judge Fahy sentenced him to seven months in prison for the burglary at ‘the Jes’ and imposed further consecutive sentences totalling seven months on some of the other theft and burglary charges, bringing the total to be served to fourteen months.

She imposed concurrent sentences on the remaining charges and disqualified him from driving for two years on the no insurance charge.

Leave to appeal the sentences was granted.

Cunniffe was also remanded in custody to appear in court via video link from the prison on December 3 in relation to two new charges.

He was charged by Garda Pat Casey this week with assaulting a woman at Bar One, Prospect Hill, on October 29 last and to breaching the peace on the same occasion.