‘Welcome to Hollywood. This is one hell of a gravy train’
LITHUANIAN MAN (53) NEEDS INTERPRETER AFTER 15 YEARS IN IRELAND
A 53-year-old man who admitted a public order offence in Dundalk has earned the wrath of a judge after she heard he required a legally-aided interpreter, despite being 15 years in this country.
Sigytas Kancauskas, 5 Highbury, Rathmullen Road, Drogheda, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in public in Marian Park, Cox’s Demesne, on 11 December, 2019.
Evidence was given that after leaving a house there voluntarily, he failed to comply with a garda direction to leave the scene. He was stumbling on the street.
The court also heard he has two previous convictions, in 2010 and 2011, for drink driving; and that in 2008 he received the benefit of the probation act for two public order matters.
Solicitor Eleanor Kelly added her client is originally from Lithuania. He is married and earns €370 per week as a general operative in Boylan Print. He supports the whole family
He had a difficulty with alcohol but is six months sober. Once he drank, he couldn’t stop. He wanted to apologise for what occurred.
Judge Miriam Walsh imposed a €250 fine, and when Ms Kelly sought to confirm that the interpreter was certified, the judge remarked she found it ‘unreal’ that he needed one after being in Ireland for 15 years.
The solicitor said that she had required an interpreter for all consultations with her client.
Judge Walsh asked about his workplace, and was informed by the defendant that the management was Irish but most of the employees were foreign.
Speaking through the interpretrer, Kancauskus also told the judge that he drank whiskey and bought it in Tesco.
She then wanted to know did he understand how much he paid when he went to the checkout. Kancauskas replied that he did understand.
‘I bet he does,’ Judge Walsh said.
‘We have to pay for a translator, the whole nine yards.
‘He knows what he’s buying, and yet the Irish taxpayer has to pay for a translator, and all the while he’s running in and out of Tesco, and getting sozzled.
‘Welcome to Hollywood. This is one hell of a gravy train,’ the judge continued.
She said the defendant should do a Linguaphone test ‘ instead of buying whiskey and getting sozzled’.
Legal aid was granted.