Man in need of 'psychiatric help' appeals 10-month sentence for Tullamore offence

Man in need of 'psychiatric help' appeals against 10-month jail sentence for Tullamore Court Hotel offence

Published 12th May 2026, 15:00 BST Updated 12th May 2026, 15:55 BST Appeal adjourned at Tullamore Circuit Court | Tribune Man in need of 'psychiatric help' appeals against 10-month jail sentence for Tullamore Court Hotel offence Sign up to our Offaly Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Offaly Live within your account.

A MAN who checked into a Tullamore hotel under a false name and stole cash and a cheque from the leisure centre needs psychiatric help, the local Circuit Court was told.

Thomas Donoghue (31), Rossfield, Tallaght, Dublin appeared before Judge Ronan Munro when he was appealing an order from the District Court where he had been sentenced to 10 months in prison for theft.

Sandra Mahon, state solicitor for Offaly, said he had fully contested the charge at the District Court which heard he checked into the Tullamore Court Hotel on June 10, 2025 under a false name and then made his way to the leisure centre of the hotel.

While there he went through the belongings of a local businessman and stole €500 in cash and a cheque for €4,400 which was made payable to at Tullamore business.

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“It was at that juncture that Mr Donoghue raised that he may have fitness to plead issues,” said Ms Mahon.

Recognisances were fixed by Judge Andrew Cody and an appeal was lodged.

Ms Mahon said the man had previous convictions, “mainly for theft”, and the most recent one was in April of last year at Kilkenny District Court.

Judge Munro was told when the appeal first came before Tullamore Circuit Court on April 16 last Mr Donoghue, who is on bail, was not present.

His solicitor Patrick Martin told the court there were fitness to plead, or fitness to be tried issues, and the matter was adjourned to last week for the appellant to answer bail.

When he appeared before the Circuit Court defence counsel Stephen Byrne asked Judge Munro not to deal with the appeal.

Mr Byrne said the man had changed his medical provider which resulted in a change of the area which had responsibility for his care and his solicitor was trying to get medical information about his client.

Mr Byrne said there was a “bona fide concern” in the case and asked that more time be given so information could be gathered to prepare a plea of mitigation.

He added that Mr Donoghue needed psychiatric help more than he needed prison.

Ms Mahon suggested the matter be adjourned to June 19. “We'll see where we are then,” she remarked.

Judge Munro remanded Mr Donoghue on bail to that date for more information to come before the court.

He told him that he had decided not to place him in custody but warned: “It goes without saying you'll have to keep your nose clean between now and the 19th of June.”