Clothes were stolen from a department stores by a man in a desperate bid to sell them to get enough money to get a ticket home, the Galway District Court heard this week.
The 36-year-old homeless Latvian national, who used pliers to remove security tags from the stolen clothing during one shop lifting incident, had also been caught on another occasion by gardai in possession of €1,000 worth of methylamphetamine, or street name crystal meth, with intent to sell or supply, and was sentenced to a total of 19 months when he appeared before Judge Mary Fahy at Monday’s court sitting.
Inspector Ernie Whyte told the court that the DPP had advocated summary disposal in the district court in relation to the drugs charges brought against Kaspars Vitolins of no fixed abode and Judge Fahy accepted jurisdiction in the matter. Vitolins pleaded guilty to possession of the methylamphetamine and possession of the drug with intent to sell or otherwise supply to others at Galway Garda Station on January 11, 2011. He also pleaded guilty to the theft of an assortment of clothing and razor blades, valued at €115.81, from Dunnes Stores, Briarhill, on February 4, 2011, and to the theft of clothing, valued at €463, from Penney’s, Eyre Square Shopping Centre, and possession of pliers while not at a place of residence with the intention of it being used in connection with a theft at the same store on February 5, 2011.
The court heard that on February 4 at 4pm the defendant entered Dunnes Stores in Briarhill and placed a number of items of clothing into a bag and left without paying. When approached by a security guard Vitolins ran from the scene. At 3pm on February 5 Vitolins again attempted to commit theft, this time targeting Penney’s and stealing clothing valued at €463, however he was detained by security staff. When arrested the gardai discovered that the defendant had in his possession a pair of pliers which was used for cutting tags off the clothing. Inspector Whyte added that the defendant had intended to steal clothing and then sell them on “for his own gain”.
On January 11, 2011, at 1pm gardai stopped Vitolins in the Menlo area before taking him to Galway Garda Station and conducting a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Drugs to the value of €1,000 were found on his person and during questioning Vitolins admitted that the drugs were his.
Vitolins’ solicitor told the court that the defendant has been in the country for 11 years and had been working for a vast majority of that time, however he lost his job. Vitolins went to Germany in search of work but returned to Ireland again one year ago. The solicitor said that since returning Vitolins has been unable to get social welfare and has been homeless for the past nine months. The court heard that Vitolins has contact with his two children who live in Sligo with his ex-partner and that he had been taking the goods to sell on in order to amass enough money to get a ticket home to Latvia. Regarding the drugs the solicitor added that Vitolins, who has spent two months in custody, had it “largely for his own use” but that he would sell one or two grams to his friends.
Inspector Whyte informed Judge Fahy that the defendant has 29 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences, but which also include burglary, one month prison sentences imposed in 2008 and 2007 for theft, and a fine for two counts of possession of drugs in 2006.
Judge Fahy noted that many of the previous convictions occurred while Vitolins was supposed to have been in employment. She added that this would indicate the defendant’s work record is poor and that he has made no effort to rehabilitate himself since 2006.
“It’s quite obvious he was selling drugs, had the contacts to get the drugs, and was going to get other unfortunates addicted. He was in possession of pliers when stealing nearly €500 worth of clothing from Penney’s. That’s a huge haul from there, he was doing it on the basis that the goods were going to be used for sale. He should have repatriated himself, he says he had no money to go home, instead he stays here and keeps on committing criminal offences,” said Judge Fahy, before imposing a nine month prison sentence for possession of drugs for sale or supply.
A further nine months, to run consecutively, was imposed for possession of the pliers to use in a theft, while a one month sentence was imposed, also to run consecutively, for one count of theft. For possession of drugs and the second count of theft a prison sentence of two months each, to run concurrently, was imposed. The sentences were backdated to February 7, 2011, and leave to appeal was granted.
