'I would say his career has not been very successful', judge says as he jails Cork criminal

A ‘career criminal’ with convictions for armed robbery, firearms offences and manslaughter has been jailed again for one year.

Sergeant Robert Brosnan testified that 50-year-old John Keith O’Donovan’s home at Monataggart, Donoughmore, County Cork, was searched under warrant on May 21 2020.

Cork City divisional drugs unit obtained the warrant on the basis of confidential information.

He was also stopped while driving a black Volkswagen Golf and on that occasion a passenger in the car was caught with a stash of cocaine.

In the search at his home in Monataggart, a total of €1,382 worth of various prescription tablets – some purchased on the internet – were found at his home. 

He availed of his right to silence when interviewed but ultimately pleaded guilty to having them for sale or supply.

“Concealed in the attic was €8,590 in cash. Asked if he could account for this cash, he replied, ‘I can, but not now. It is my house’,” Sgt. Brosnan said.

The sergeant described Mr O’Donovan as a career criminal and went on to outline the most serious of his 51 previous convictions, including a robbery conviction in 1989, armed robberies in 1995 and 2002, and manslaughter in 2004.

Defence senior counsel Ray Boland said the latest case before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for supplying small quantities of tablets and money-laundering in respect of the cash, would have been dealt with at district court level were it not for his serious previous convictions.

Mr Boland said, “He is described as a career criminal but he is here again now (facing sentencing). I would say his career has not been very successful.” 

The senior counsel said one often found an offender’s convictions becoming more serious over time. He said that with Mr O’Donovan it was the opposite and that these latest offences were less so - for instance the tablets had a relatively low value. He also said the accused was doing well in prison in educational terms.

Judge Colin Daly agreed: “The gravity must be considered to be to the lower end of the scale… There are no aggravating factors. While he has previous convictions for misuse of drugs, he has pleaded guilty at an early opportunity.

“He is using his time in prison well. He has an extraordinary number of previous convictions for very serious offences.” 

The judge imposed a prison term of one year, backdated to July 23 when he went into custody on these charges.