Thief who broke into car and had stolen bike has jail term overturned on appeal
A thief who was found with a stolen bike after he had broken into a car has had his nine-month jail term fully suspended on appeal, with the judge ordering that he attend drug rehabilitation.
Stephen Carlisle (41) is currently serving a jail sentence for another matter and is hoping to enter residential drug rehabilitation upon his expected release in October this year.
Judge Ronan Munro said it seemed that when Carlisle is on drugs, he is a “total menace”, but that the defendant appears to be a decent person when he is off them.
Carlisle, with an address in Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 was convicted in the District Court of possessing a stolen bicycle and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.
Charges of obstruction, getting into a vehicle without authority, trespassing, possessing a stolen bicycle wheel and failing to appear in court were all taken into consideration by the District Court judge.
He later lodged an appeal against the severity of his sentence.
Sergeant Stephen Walsh told the District Court Appeals Court that on June 27, 2025, gardai responded to reports of attempted theft from members of the public. He said that Carlisle had attempted to steal a pedal bike.
Sergeant Walsh said that in another incident, gardai responded to a report of a man attempting to steal items in the underground car park at Bachelors Walk apartments on July 16, 2025. He said that gardai found a car boot had been opened and that the contents had been rummaged through.
He said that Carlisle had no excuse to be there when questioned by gardai and that he was in possession of a pedal bike which did not belong to him.
The sergeant said that on another occasion on O’Connell Street Lower on December 19, 2025, gardai responded to a report of a man attempting to gain access to a car. He said that Carlisle failed to stop for gardai and that there was a short foot chase.
He said that while he was being arrested, Carlisle began to resist and obstruct gardai.
The sergeant said that Carlisle had 49 previous convictions, including theft offences.
Defence counsel for Carlisle, Lydia Daly BL, said that her client had been on methadone and was now off it. She said that he is looking to enter residential drug treatment upon release from custody.
Judge Munro said that he was not giving Carlisle a pass and that he would have to complete residential treatment when he was released from jail on his other matter.
He decided to suspend the nine-month sentence for a period of two years on the condition that Carlisle complies with all of the directions of the High Park Residential Rehabilitation Programme while in prison and upon release.
Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
