US tourists were victims of 'brazen' theft at local golf club

A 52-year-old man has been jailed for five years for the “brazen” theft of over €6,000 of valuables and cash from US tourists at Enniscrone Golf Club.

Patrick Harty of Rossmanagher Road, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, drove his car up alongside the tourists’ rented vehicle in the golf club car park, smashed a rear window and stole their belongings from the back seat. None of the items were recovered.

Harty, who is currently in prison on other charges, appeared before Judge Keenan Johnson at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court having previously signed guilty pleas to three counts of theft and one of criminal damage at Enniscrone Golf Club on August 22nd, 2023.

He was charged with stealing a Kenneth Cole backpack, Apple iPad, Apple iPods, Bose headphones, car keys, a US passport, chequebook, $500 cash, Hyper Iced Heated backbrace, suitcase with clothes, Theragun Mini, Castle Flex, Aftershokz headphones and Sun Mountain Cube Travel Cover, with a total value of over $3,600, from Thomas Justus.

Harty also pleaded guilty to stealing items worth over €1,850 from Aaron Glazier, including a Titleist backpack, US passport, €1,250 cash, $100 cash, Oakley sunglasses, St Andrew sweater, phone chargers, car keys and Apple headphones.

He pleaded guilty to a third theft charge of stealing a $600 Golf Range Finder from Carlton Colter.

Harty also pleaded guilty to damaging the driver’s side rear passenger door window of the Americans’ rented car, a Volkswagen Caddy, belonging to Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The court heard that Mr Colter’s credit card was charged €593.20 by the rental company for the cost of the car window repair and loss of use as a result.

Garda Brendan Gardiner testified that the three US tourists had driven from Sligo to Enniscrone that day to play a round of golf and have a drink in the club bar afterwards.

When they left the bar at 8.45pm and returned to their car they discovered the rear window was smashed and their property stolen. Items in the boot were untouched.

CCTV footage played in court showed Harty trying to open various doors of the clubhouse to no avail before he drove up beside the tourists’ car, smashed a window and stole their belongings. The defendant was being sought by gardaí for other criminal offences when this incident occurred. 

The court was told that Harty has been serving other prison sentences since August 7th, 2024, and is not due for release until April 2028. He has 224 previous convictions, including 66 for theft, as well as convictions for deception, making off without payment, trespass, robbery, road traffic breaches, drug driving, assault, sexual assault, possession of drugs, criminal damage and domestic violence.

In a victim impact statement, Aaron Glazier said the robbery had “soured” their holiday and “caused an enormous amount of undue stress” as they had to adjust hotel dates, golf reservations, find a new rental car, and travel to the US Embassy in Dublin to get new temporary US passports. He said it cost them “a lot of additional money and time for a few days instead of enjoying our vacation”. 

Mr Glazier said the golf course, hotels, gardaí and community of Enniscrone were empathetic and supportive in helping them through the situation and “the Irish people were amazing in that regard, so much better than if the same thing were to happen to an Irish person visiting our country". However, he added that what Harty did “put a black eye on the Irish tourism industry” and he had friends who “may be slightly less likely to visit Ireland now because of it".

“He has damaged Ireland’s reputation as a host country. It’s unfortunate. I love Ireland. That was my second trip over there, and I for one, will be back,” he stated.

Defence counsel Mr Eoin McGovern said Harty was intoxicated at the time and had “no recollection” of the offences. 

“He doesn’t look very intoxicated on the CCTV, I don’t accept that,” replied Judge Johnson.

Mr McGovern said Harty came from a settled Traveller family and was the fourth eldest of 14 children. A psychological assessment carried out for his probation report said he had a mild to moderate intellectual disability and was at a high risk of re-offending. 

A letter written by Harty was handed into the court. 

Noting that his client had "a terrible record", Mr McGovern said Harty was willing to put together a compensation payment plan once released from prison. 

Describing the defendant's behaviour as "outrageous", Judge Johnson said he was "completely out of control" at the time of this "crime spree". He pointed out that $5,550 worth of items were stolen by Harty, who was shown on CCTV “staking the club prior to the thefts". 

The judge said the defendant didn’t look intoxicated to him, adding: “He’s seen taking his time, it was a very brazen act."

An aggravating factor was that this was a multiple theft perpetrated on visitors to this country. Fáilte Ireland had done a lot of work promoting Ireland and Harty had “blighted” that work. 

Judge Johnson described it as “a mean, nasty offence to commit on holidaymakers who were enjoying themselves, adding that Mr Glazier’s victim impact statement was “extremely magnanimous”. The judge also commended Enniscrone Golf Club and the people of Enniscrone for rallying to the victims. 

“By their actions, they have negated the effects of the offence,” he said.

Judge Johnson said Harty had “an appalling record” and there was “no co-operation” when he was arrested by Gardaí but said his guilty plea “was of benefit” and “did warrant some mitigation”. The defendant has a “major problem with alcohol” and the only way he would ever turn his life around was “by sobriety".

“The stability of prison seems to suit him,” he noted, having heard that Harty was now attending AA meetings. 

“I do feel it’s a very, very aggravating factor that none of the items were ever recovered,” said Judge Johnson, adding that the restitution offer of payment was “too little, too late". 

He sentenced Harty to five years in prison, backdated to August 8th, 2024.

“I would like if good wishes could be extended to the victims by the court,” he concluded.