Judge Boyle viewed the repeat offending as an aggravating factor, meriting the imposition of consecutive sentences that left Lane facing into a prison term of seven-and-a-half years.

Cork Prison has exceeded its own record for overcrowding for six days in a row, with 386 people in custody there on Thursday, representing 130% capacity.

The former record of 372 people in the prison, which has capacity for 296, has been broken the last four days in a row, with 384 people incarcerated there on Tuesday.