Community service for man who stole Heineken medal from rugby coach

A man who broke into the house of new Irish rugby coach Joe Schmidt and stole a Heineken Cup winners medal has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

Tallaght District Court heard the burglary happened last December as Schmidt’s Leinster were playing Clermont-Auvergne in France in the Heineken Cup. Christy Connors (20), Green Street, Wexford, and Fergus Donegan (45), Nutgrove Crescent, Rathfarnham, are charged with burglary in Churchtown on December 9th. The case was before Judge Anthony Halpin for a plea and/or a date for hearing.

Donegan’s solicitor, Conor O’Leary, asked Judge Halpin for a further remand as he had been unable to review disclosure with his client as Donegan had been in Tallaght Hospital. Judge Halpin remanded Donegan on continuing bail to July for a plea and/or a date for hearing.

Connors’ solicitor, Kevin Tunney, said his client was pleading guilty to burglary. The solicitor for the DPP said a possession of items for theft charge against him could be withdrawn. The court heard that Connors had no previous convictions.

Judge Halpin sentenced Connors to 200 hours of community service with six months detention in default.