by Nicola Donnelly
nicola.donnelly@meathpost.com

A heroin addict who has ‘lived a life of crime’ received a nine month sentence for a burglary at former Meath footballer Trevor Giles’ house when he appeared before Dunshaughlin District Court last Tuesday (September 2). Martin Crosbie (28) with an address at Fr Peter McVerry Hostel in Drumcondra, Dublin was also sentenced to 8 months for dangerous driving and disqualified from driving for 15 years. The sentences are to run concurrent to a sentence he is already serving for a previous crime. The court heard that Crosbie, who has been addicted to heroin since he was 15, broke into Giles’s house at Old Ross Road in Tara on May 10 where he stole a number of items. He left the scene at speed in a Volvo car and failed to stop after he wrote off another vehicle on Main Street in Dunshaughlin. Crosbie failed to stop after gardai arrived on the scene and gardai pursued him until he came to a halt in Drumcondra in Dublin. “The items were recovered,” said Garda Peter Stapleton.
Crosbie pleaded guilty to the crimes on the first available opportunity, credit for which was given to him by Judge Tom Fitzpatrick. “He wants to put his life of crime behind him and serve whatever time he has to serve,” said his solicitor Liam Keane.
“He is planning on going for treatment for his drug addiction as he has never received any treatment during his previous prison sentences,” said Keane.
On sentencing Crosbie, Judge Fitzpatrick had sympathy for addicts who don’t receive the necessary treatment while in prison. “The only reason I have to sentence you is to protect the public. I have a duty to society and hopefully the defendant will see the error of his ways and that he has no future in crime,” said Judge Fitzpatrick on handing down the prison sentence.