A ‘terrible indictment of the system’ that Tipp man spends over half his life in prison

A Circuit Court judge in Nenagh has criticised how the justice system deals with those struggling with addiction. 

Judge Catherine Staines made her comments in a sentencing hearing for a man who has spent 20 of his 38 years in prison. 

“It really is a terrible indictment of the system,” said Judge Staines.

George Hackett (38) of no fixed abode was before the court on charges of theft and possession of a weapon, to which he pleaded guilty to both.

Judge Staines handed Mr Hackett two eight-month sentences to run concurrently, with the last four months of each suspended under the supervision of the probation service. 

She said she hoped he can get another placement in Hyde Park to deal with his addiction issues. 

BLACK JUMPER

Garda James Kelleher of Thurles Garda Station told the court that on June 18, 2023, he was on patrol in the garda van when he observed Mr Hackett in the driver’s seat with his feet hanging out of a car on St Mary’s Avenue. 

Garda Kelleher stopped and spoke to Mr Hackett who got out of the car and told the guard he had not been in the car. 

The court heard that while Mr Hackett was being arrested, he asked Garda Kelleher to bring his black jumper, which was on the ground.

In the pocket, the guard found a bank card and prescription medication, neither of which belonged to Mr Hackett. Garda Kelleher scanned a nearby car, which was registered to the name that appeared on the bank card. 

The court heard Garda Kelleher also found in the jumper pocket, two knives. A third knife was subsequently found in Mr Hackett’s waistband and a set of keys the defendant had attempted to throw away. 

Mr Hackett had more than 170 previous convictions, 76 of which had been committed while he was on bail.

They included previous convictions for possession of knives, theft, interfering with a vehicle and handling stolen property. 

Acting for the accused Pádraig de Búrca BL told the court that his client has a “chronic drug problem.”

He said Mr Hackett is 38 years old and has spent 20 of those years in prison.

The court heard that the defendant has children, one of which is non-verbal and that he had come from an abusive home.

Mr de Búrca went on to tell the court that Mr Hackett had been in residential treatment but had left after nine days and submitted to the court his client’s psychiatric report from 2016. 

He asked the court for “leniency”.

“Every effort has been made by Novas and his solicitor to assist Mr Hackett, but because of his addiction, he has failed at every occasion.

“He does make efforts to engage with his addiction, but he acknowledges that due to his offending, he is part of the prison system rather than society,” said Mr de Búrca.

In passing the sentence, Judge Staines noted Mr Hackett’s guilty plea and that the knives were intended to break into cars as opposed to being used for a violent offence. 

She noted the defendant’s struggle with mental illness, previous suicide attempts and that he left treatment due to a conflict with another resident. 

The judge also noted the impact of the defendant’s continued incarceration on his children.