‘Missing man’ turns up

A man who apparently should have been in custody and failed to show up for court made an appearance at Sligo District Court last Thursday.

John Kelleher (54) with an address at Shalomar, Sligo had been remanded in custody with consent to bail at a sitting of Harristown Court in Castlerea two weeks previiously but he refused to sign the bail bond and was apparently remanded in custody to appear at Sligo District Court.

However, he wasn’t brought to the court in custody with prison officers and Gardaí saying they hadn’t charge of him. In a bizarre twist, solicitor Ms Laura Spellman said she had spoken to him court but he apparently left.

In any event, Kelleher turned up at the court last Thursday where Ms Spellman said he wished to admit charges of breaking two windows at the doctors’ residence at Sligo University Hospital on September 30 th last.

Inspector Dennis Harrington said the defendant was making a nuisance of himself at the hospital at 2.35pm and was told to leave. He then proceeded to break the windows, the damage amounting to €160. He had a number of previous convictions, all alcohol related.

Ms Spellman said the defendant told her he wished to be sentenced to a term in prison.

Kelleher told the court he had nowhere to live and that he never have anywhere to live.

However, Judge Kevin Kilrane said imprisonment wasn’t for housing people and this was what the defendant was effectively looking for. He could not do that and the defendant hadn’t what one might call, “earth shattering convictions.”

Inspector Harrington said the defendant was living rough but it was his understanding that he had chosen not to go into a hostel. Kelleher was remanded on bail to January 18th.

“I don’t want bail”- defendant.

“You’re free to go” - Judge.