Client was hungry, solicitor tells court

PETER Winters (24) from Mulrankin, Bridgetown appeared in Wexford Court on theft and drugs possession charges.

He was served food worth €5.79 at the deli counter in Pettitt’s SuperValu in Wexford on January 20 and failed to pay.

His solicitor Colette Culleton told the court that her client was hungry and had no money at the time.

Winters also admitted possession of two bags of white powder, which turned out to be cocaine worth €40, which came to light in November of 2015 when the defendant was searched at the barracks in Wexford.

He was bound to the peace for six months. Club licence A LOTTERY licence was granted to Wexford Golf Club on application to the District Court sitting at Ardcavan.

The application was submitted in the name of club secretary Patrick Geoghegan and no garda objection was raised before the licence was issued by Judge John Cheatle. PRISONERS in Irish prisons have a long wait for urinalysis to show that they are drug free, a Wexford solicitor suggested.

Tim Cummings appeared at the District Court in Ardcavan where he represented 26 year old Gary Chaney, address given variously as 15 Seabury in Rosslare Strand and 17 King Street, Wexford.

Chaney was remanded in custody on shoplifting and drugs possession charges at a previous sitting, Mr Chaney recalled.

His client had hoped to take a urinalysis test while in Cloverhill but told his solicitor he was informed he would have to wait six months.

Mr Cummings said that he had been given a similar tale of delays by other defendants who were in jail but accepted that he had no independent verification.

In the case of Gary Chaney, his client was keen to attend drug rehab at Francis Farm in County Carlow but was required to submit four clear urine samples before he could be admitted to the farm.

In these circumstances, he wished to go ahead and deal with the charges before the court.

The judge was told that gardaí found €20 worth of cannabis when they searched the defendant’s residence in Rosslare in November of 2012.

In February of 2014, Garda David Beale investigated a series of thefts from three shops in Wexford’s Main Street.

Last month he was found in possession of a stolen tablet computer and a stolen phone - both items returned to the rightful owners.

On February 4, he took a €750 Trek bike from Hayes’ Cycles in South Main Street and a PlayStation worth €300 from 33 King Street.

On February 16, he was responsible for thefts from Shaws department store, Jean Depot and Industry.

A report from psychiatrist Geoffrey O’Donoghue was available to the court and Mr Cummings said his client had a history of psychosis.

Chaney’s mother and two brothers were in court as a suspended six month prison sentence was handed down.

Judge Cheatle noted that all the property stolen was recovered.