Irish former child film star handed suspended jail sentence for €140 Tesco theft
At Kilrush District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett imposed the suspended prison term on Dublin native Shane Curry - now aged 30 - for the theft at Tesco, Ennis Rd, Kilrush on October 10 last.
Curry, of Croí Na Mbaile, Kilmihil, Co. Clare, was a film star at the age of 13, starring alongside Stephen Rea in the award-winning movie, Kisses, with the Los Angeles Times describing young Curry's performance at the time as "first rate".
He also appeared as a guest on The Late Late Show and subsequently starred in Hideaways (2011) and Dollhouse (2012).
However, Curry's time in the acting world was short-lived and his life went off the rails due to taking drugs as a child.
Mr Curry recently told Kilrush District Court in a separate case to the theft: 'I have been taking drugs since I was 10.' Asked why he started taking drugs by Judge Gabbett, Mr Curry said: 'Me ma died.'
Judge Gabbett told him: 'You have never treated your anxiety and your other issues. You are coping with life by using drugs.'
His solicitor, Patrick Moylan, said: 'Mr Curry auditioned for a role in Love/Hate with Barry Keoghan and unfortunately Mr Keoghan got the job and Mr Curry didn't.'
Mr Moylan said that Mr Curry has remained almost entirely out of trouble since 2016.
Judge Gabbett said to Mr Curry: 'You didn't have the good fortune on the addiction history I'd say?'
Mr Curry told Judge Gabbett: 'The drugs are what ruined the acting career - I was due to go to America but I was taking drugs and got a conviction.'
Sergeant John Burke told the court: 'He had an absolute horrendous upbringing.'
Sergeant Burke, of Ennis Garda Station, told the court: 'Mr Curry is from Crumlin and I started with the Gardaí in Crumlin in 2009 and I recall him very well.
"Mr Curry and two other young fellas used to be getting in trouble a lot and of the three of them, he was most pleasant to deal with.
'What stands out about Mr Curry is that he starred in a movie as a child called Kisses, which is on RTÉ every Christmas.'
The court previously heard that Mr Curry lost his grandmother and mother within months of each other in 2006 and Mr Curry's aunt took him in and relocated to the west Clare village of Kilmihil a number of years ago in order to protect Curry and his siblings.
Mr Curry fell into trouble within a couple of years of promoting Kisses when he received probation at Smithfield Children's Court in April 2011 for handling stolen property in April 2010.
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