Man’s sentencing adjourned as addiction counsellor asked to find alternative to prison for defendant

AN intervention by an alcohol addiction counsellor has seen the sentencing of a 43-yearman put back to next week.

Peter Kelly of Glendallon, Ballytivnan, Sligo appeared at Sligo District Court for sentencing on a number of offences which include public order, drug possession, criminal damage and theft.

Guilty pleas to all had been entered at an earlier hearing.

The offences were committed between September 2022 and March of this year – the majority of which related to public order incidents where Kelly was intoxicated.

Judge Brendan O’Reilly had stated that he saw no alternative but a custodial sentence for Kelly – despite the pleas of defence solicitor Gerry McGovern who asked for a degree of leniency.

Mr McGovern was successful in persuading Judge O’Reilly to hear from Aubrey Melville of Social Groundforce – a donation-funded group that helps alcoholics into recovery and get their lives back on track.

Mr Melville – who has been working closely with Kelly since he was charged – told the Court: “We’re the only game in town when it comes to helping alcoholics.

“Social Groundforce’s purpose is to bring about changes in people’s lives because there isn’t another service like ours. We deal with all aspects of an individual’s disastrous outcomes caused by alcohol and drug addiction. The services that exist in Ireland at the moment don’t cover what has to be done for an individual.

“Some people who take a drink find that it changes them and their personality,” he added. “For example, a normally placid individual on a work’s night out may take a drink and suddenly there’s a personality you don’t recognise. Then they come into work the next day back to their placid self.

“Individuals don’t realise that this is a disease. It’s the first drink that triggers the allergy because the disease is twofold in nature.

“The alcoholic suffers from an allergy in the body and an obsession in the mind. The first drink triggers a craving in their body that can never be satisfied. The first drink will demand a second, the second will demand a third and so on until everything’s out of the window.

“With Peter, we can work with him and the Garda as well as the Courts. We can get him to compile a weekly journal, get him in touch with both rehab and alcoholics anonymous and report on his progress every week with the Garda and the Court.

“Again, in terms of addictions services in Sligo, we’re the only game in town.”

Earlier, Judge O’Reilly addressed the Court saying: “Mr Kelly has a severe alcohol problem and has been afforded every opportunity to sort himself out.

“He was given a house to live in last October (Mr Kelly had been homeless prior to then) and one would have expected that to have changed his behaviour.

“When he got the house, he could have done his drinking at home – there is no law against that. However, he did the opposite and continued to drink in the streets and crossed a line by doing so.

“Between January and March of this year, he has accumulated seven prosecutions and his behaviour has got worse.”

Defence solicitor, Gerry McGovern, replied: “Peter worked as a chef for six years and in a factory for eight. The tragic death of his brother set him down a path that led to alcohol addiction and homelessness – he was homeless for six years and was sleeping rough.

“He has been getting good support of late however and he been making progress.”

Judge O’Reilly then retorted: “The only time he is sober is when he is in prison.”

Mr McGovern replied: “His social worker has had good things to say about Peter and when sober, he is one of the nicest people you will come across. Even his probation report said that if he continued his progress, they would be willing to consider making a continued input with him.

“While I don’t think we’ve found a way (to full recovery), I believe that we are getting close.

“He is a kind individual with a very bad addiction but he has been working closely with Aubrey Melville of Social Groundforce to address that addiction.”

Judge O’Reilly then said: “If I don’t send this man to prison, he’ll be found dead in the street. The Court is at the end of the road with Mr Kelly.

“After 17 years (of this), the Court has a duty to the public. There’s nobody here to tell me that this man will desist from this type of behaviour.”

At this point, Mr McGovern asked Judge O’Reilly to hear from Mr Melville, which he agreed to.

Following Mr Melville’s testimony, Judge O’Reilly said: “I am grateful to Mr Melville for the comments he has made.

“If you (the defence) can come up with an alternative to prison, I’ll entertain it. Have something ready for when we’re next due in court.”

Sentencing was adjourned to April 22 with Peter Kelly remanded in custody.