Kerryman's long conviction list stems from alcohol issues after six members of family killed in crash, court told

A total of 609 criminal convictions have been clocked up by a 55-year-old Kerryman and now he has been given another batch for a litany of offences in Cork, including stealing kegs of beer and cider and bottles of Prosecco.

The number of convictions for Richard O’Brien of no fixed address, who is from Killarney, as of now stands at 624 counts.

Stephen Cotter solicitor said of the 55-year-old: 

“He has a crippling addiction to alcohol. Obviously, when someone comes before the court with over 600 convictions, it paints a picture. Although there is a pattern of offending we should not write him off.” 

Judge David Waters said he knew Mr O’Brien from his time as a district court judge in Kerry and remarked that the overwhelming majority of the defendant’s convictions were for being drunk and a source of danger. The judge said the difficulty now faced by the accused is the four theft convictions, to which he pleaded guilty.

Mr O’Brien is a big man, and the judge commented that while he is not a violent man, he may well be intimidating, particularly for young female staff when he takes something from a shop.

He was drunk and a danger on June 22 at St. Patrick’s Street, on June 23 at Oliver Plunkett Street, on June 24 at Grand Parade and again on June 30 at Oliver Plunkett Street.

On July 1 he stole two bottles of Prosecco from The Offie at Douglas Street, and was found drunk and a danger at Langford Row on the same day. The following day he was drunk and a danger at Washington Street. Also on July 2 he stole a keg of cider from outside An Bróg on Oliver Plunkett Street. On July 11 he stole a keg of beer from outside The Thomand Bar on Marlboro Street, Cork.

On July 18 he was drunk and a danger at Grand Parade. On July 15 he was drunk and a danger and engaged in threatening behaviour at Bishop Lucey Park where he was shouting at passers-by, when families were present. On September 8 he was drunk and a danger at Grand Parade. Most recently, he stole a bottle of wine priced €50 at Brown Thomas in Cork on September 15 and was found in a drunken condition drinking from that bottle.

In earlier cases, it was stated on the defendant’s behalf that his alcohol addiction stemmed from a lifelong inability to cope with a traffic accident which saw six members of his family killed when he was a young man.