DISTRICT COURT ROUND-UP
From our reporter at Sligo Courthouse
Man fined €500 after threatening to ‘cut’ his cousin
A Sligo man has been fined a total of €500 at the district court after pleading guilty to an incident with a relative
Killian McLoughlin, 26, from Slievemore View, Ballytivnan, pleaded guilty to having a knife with a pointed blade and using threatening and abusive behaviour at Seaview Park, Knappaghmore, on July 27, 2019.
A previous sitting had been told that the defendant had told his first cousin that he would “cut him from ear to ear”.
Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said the defendant had been under the care of Aubrey Melville of Social Ground Force.
The case had been adjourned since February.
Mr McGovern said the incidents arose from a row between the defendant and his relative.
The defendant accepted that he was “totally wrong”.
Mr McGovern said the defendant’s relative had contacted him to say he did not want any harm to come to the defendant.
The court heard that the defendant had 12 previous convictions.
The solicitor said Mr Melville had done great work and had got the defendant a part-time job with a barber.
Tbe judge fined the defendant €250 on each charge.
Judge tells woman: Stop stealing or you’ll end up in jail
A Sligo woman who pleaded guilty to a charge of theft has been fined €200 at the district court.
Winifred Ward, 32, of Maryville Hostel pleaded guilty to stealing cosmetics to the value of €150 from Cara Pharmacy, Sligo, on November 3 last year.
Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said the defendant had already pleaded guilty to the charge and the case had been put back for monitoring.
The defendant was doing well, the solicitor said. She had got a place in college in September and there was this one matter hanging over her head.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said if the defendant picked up further convictions it would be on her CV. He said her stealing was unnecessary. Mr MacSharry said the gratuitous larceny will stop.
Judge Kilrane fined the defendant €200 and said: “Please stop stealing, otherwise you will end up in prison.”
40-year-old told to stay off alcohol and get counselling
A man who pleaded guilty to a number of public order offences has been given a section of the Probation Act that is technically a conviction at Sligo District Court.
Marcin Bednarski, 40, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to public intoxication at Cois Abhann on January 30 last year.
He also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of vodka valued at €7 from Tesco in Sligo on February 6 last year.
He pleaded guilty to public intoxication and using threatening and abusive behaviour on the same date and at the same location.
Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said his client had spent five months in treatment at an addiction centre. The defendant told the court he asked for help, and he had gone to Cuan Mhuire.
He was sober for 10 months and was on the straight and narrow path. The defendant had now finished in Cuan Mhuire, and had started as a mechanic.
Mr MacSharry said the defendant had been in Ireland for the past 15 years and that sadly alcohol had got the better of him.
The defendant said he had committed the offences when he was addicted to alcohol. He said he was working and asked the court for a chance.
Mr MacSharry said the people in Cuan Mhuire were very impressed with the way the defendant engaged with them and his after-care was going well. There had been no further incidents.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said the defendant was a serious alcoholic and he had a number of charges in a short period of time.
He left the jurisdiction and came back and then went to Cuan Mhuire and seems to have made good progress.
The judge imposed a section of the Probation Act that is technically a conviction on condition that he stays off alcohol and takes additional counselling.
The defendant was released on a €100 bond.
Cartron Point man had cocaine and cannabis
A Sligo man who pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine has been given the Probation Act at the district court.
Maurice Whelan, 35, from River Road, Cartron Point, admitted having €50 of cannabis and €70 of cocaine at that address on August 30 last year.
He had no previous convictions. Defence solicitor Fergal Kelly said the defendant was a father of two who in was full-time employment in a factory in Finisklin.
He had been very co-operative and the drugs had been for his personal use.
Judge Kevin Kilrane gave the defendant the Probation Act on the cannabis charge and also applied the Probation Act on payment of €200 to Hope House.
Woman who had drugs told to bring €200 to court
A young Sligo woman was told at the district court to come with €200 for Hope House by today, Thursday, to avoid a conviction for possession of drugs
Sorcha McLoughlin, 23, from Upper John Street pleaded guilty to possession of €150 of cocaine on May 21 last year at that address. Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said the defendant was a very young lady who was going to college and had no previous convictions. He asked the court to give her a chance.
Man operated as a bouncer without a licence
A Sligo bouncer who pleaded guilty to operating without a licence and purporting to have a licence when he did not have one has been fined and ordered to pay costs at the district court.
Thomas Byrne of Garavogue Villas pleaded guilty to both charges that happened on dates between February 22 and April 6, 2018, and on dates between February 22 and May 25, 2018, respectively at the Garavogue Bar, Sligo.
A solicitor for the Private Security Authority told the court that doormen and bouncers needed a licence to operate.
The authority was informed in February 2018 that the defendant had been working at the bar without a licence.
The court heard the defendant changed the date on his expired licence from 2017 to 2018.
The court was told he had misled his employer.
Defence solicitor John Anderson said the defendant had no previous convictions.
Mr Anderson said the defendant was a 41-year-old man with severe medical conditions.
He had epilepsy and was facing the prospect of having his leg amputated in the next month and was on €210 Disability Allowance per week.
The defendant had made admissions at the 11th hour, and he had made a foolish decision.
He was apologising to the court. The defendant was a man of “very limited means”.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said the forgery aspect of the case was the more serious matter.
The defendant was fined a total of €200 and ordered to pay costs of €2,000 on both matters. Seven other related charges were struck out.
Probation Act for Ballinfull man, 37, who had cannabis
A north Sligo resident who pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis has been given the Probation Act at the district court.
Igors Pradzynski, 37, from Carrigans, Ballinfull, admitted having €50 of cannabis at that address on May 15 last year.
He had no previous convictions.
€300 fine for Sligo man caught with €100 of cannabis
A Sligo man has been fined after admitting at the district court to possession of €100 worth of cannabis. Kirt Downey, 34, from Knocknaganny Park pleaded guilty to the offence that happened at that address on August 6 last year.
The court heard he had a previous similar charge taken into account and was fined for another similar charge.
Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said his client was a family man who did not go out very much.
Judge Kevin Kilrane fined the defendant €300.
Verbally abused hospital staff for not bringing toast
A Sligo man who verbally abused hospital staff at Sligo University Hospital because they refused to bring him toast has been given a twomonth jail sentence.
Dean Mahon, 37, of Kiernan Avenue, Collooney, was abusive towards staff on February 5 last at the Emergency Department because they would not bring him toast.
Mahon was highly intoxicated and shouted abuse in front of other people.
Mahon was also charged with further public order matters relating to a date in March last year at JFK Parade, where he was intoxicated and cursed at gardaí.
He was before the court for stealing a bottle of wine from Simpson’s Supermarket in Drumacrin, Bundoran, on January 31.
Solicitor Tom MacSharry said Mahon, who is currently in custody serving a sentence, is now clean and sober.
He was sentenced to two months in prison for the threatening behaviour at the hospital and a concurrent two months for the second similar charge.
Probation Act for Collooney man, 28, who had cannabis
A Collooney man who admitted possession of cannabis has been given the Probation Act at the district court
Anthony Delaney, 28, from Kiernan Avenue, Collooney, pleaded guilty to having €120 of cannabis at Ballydrehid on April 15 last year. Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said the defendant had no previous convictions for drug related offences, and asked the court to give his client a chance.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said the amount was on the upper end of the scale. The judge applied the Probation Act.
Dublin engineering student had drugs at Sligo hospital
A Dublin engineering student has been given the Probation Act after admitting possession of cannabis, at Sligo District court.
Germaine James, 20, from Holywell Way, Swords, Co. Dublin pleaded guilty to having €100 of cannabis at Sligo University Hospital on March 20 last year.
Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said the defendant had no previous convictions.