A man with 55 previous theft convictions has received a prison sentence for a spree of shoplifting around Waterford.
Damien Myles (26) with addresses at 113 Kilcohan Park, Waterford, and Beckett Street, Manchester, appeared before Judge Kevin Staunton at a sitting of Waterford District Court last week.
He pleaded guilty to five counts of theft, contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, as well as possession of a controlled drug (namely cannabis) for personal use, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and was produced in court from prison, where he is currently serving a sentence for a separate matter.
Sergeant Michael Hickey told the court that the accused was entering a guilty plea to the charges. This included the theft of €342.20 worth of alcohol from Reddy’s Off Licence, Ballybricken, on 17 February 2026, and the theft of an electric shaver and toothbrush to the value of €91 from Homesavers, Kingsmeadow, Waterford, three days later on 20 February.
Sgt. Hickey added that the accused also pleaded guilty to the theft of jewellery worth €115 from Carrig Donn, City Square Shopping Centre, on 4 December 2023, stealing goods worth €23.20 from Walsh’s Garage, Ferrybank, on 27 July 2023, as well as the theft of three bottles of Captain Morgan Whiskey with a combined value of €74.97 from Centra, John Street, Waterford, on 17 February 2026.
The accused was found to be in possession of cannabis by Gardaí at Convent Hill, Waterford, earlier that month on 6 February.
It was noted in court that he has a total of 71 previous convictions, including 55 theft matters. Sgt Hickey said the majority of the theft offences occurred when the accused was living in Britain for a period of time.
He is currently serving a sentence of three years with the final nine months suspended for committing robbery at the Londis store in St John’s Park, Waterford city, in February 2026.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Ken Cunningham said his client has been in custody since 24 February 2026, and these offences occurred around the same time as the robbery, when he had an ‘escalating polysubstance misuse and alcohol problem.’
The solicitor added that the accused is currently doing educational courses while he is in custody.
Judge Staunton described the charges as ‘shoplifting offences’ and highlighted the accused’s ‘large’ number of previous convictions, which were mostly for theft, stating that it is clear “that’s where his problems lie”.
While the judge acknowledged that the accused is already serving a ‘lengthy’ prison sentence, he said that the court has to take a ‘serious view’ of the offences.
Judge Staunton handed the accused two consecutive eight month sentences for the theft of €342.20 worth of alcohol from Reddy’s Off-Licence and the theft of the electric toothbrush and shaver worth €91 from Homesavers.
The judge backdated the sentences to when the accused went into custody in February 2026, and took all other matters into consideration.
Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Robyn Power
