David Hughes (40) of Fair Street, Drogheda, Co Louth, pleaded guilty before Judge John Coughlan in Cloverhill District Court yesterday to four counts of causing criminal damage to the synagogues and to one count of possession of a knife. Giving evidence, Garda Michael Power said on June 24 last he was on beat patrol when he saw Hughes spray-painting a swastika on the gates of a synagogue on Rathfarnham Road in Terenure. On the same date, Hughes had spray-painted a swastika on a synagogue at Rathmore Villas in Terenure and the Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation Synagogue on Leicester Avenue in Rathmines, Detective Garda Brian Grealy told the court.

He also painted a swastika on the Rathfarnham Road synagogue on May 11, Detective Garda Grealy continued. The court heard Hughes was a single man, living alone in a one-bedroom flat, and that he had no previous convictions. Grainne O'Neill, counsel for the defendant, said her client had no involvement with any organisations that took part in anti-Semitic activity. "His family confirmed (the offences) were completely out of character for him," she added. She said Hughes had spent time in the United States, where he took ill, and it turned out he had epilepsy. He was also diagnosed with schizophrenia and was attending medical care specialists for the last five years.

"He has had a very difficult period since this happened. His father says his illness has affected him on a number of different occasions." One of the symptoms of his illness was that he heard voices, the barrister informed the court. Jailing Hughes, Judge Coughlan said: "In my view, it's very important that a signal be sent out to all Irish people, north and south, that we do not tolerate racism or racial bigotry on the island of Ireland. "It's also very important that a signal be sent out to the international community that we do not tolerate racism or racial bigotry."

The judge imposed four consecutive five-month sentences on Hughes, and the charge of possession of a knife was taken into consideration. Recognisance was fixed in the event of his seeking to appeal.