A student who took a garda’s jacket from the squad car that brought him home after a post-exam bender last May, will have to wait until March to hear the judge’s final decision after the court heard he couldn’t appear this week (December 16 ), as he was sitting an exam.
Liam Downey (20 ), of Cornamaddy, Ballymahon Road, Athlone was initially arrested at 3.10am on May 3 after he staggered drunkenly out in front of a patrol car after a night out celebrating the end of last year’s exams.
Because the Garda station was so busy at the time, the arresting garda thought it more prudent to bring Downey home and it was only after he got out of the car that the garda noticed the jacket missing.
“He doesn't remember taking the jacket,” said his solicitor, Mr Padraig Quinn on his last court appearance on June 24, “But he does remember waking up with it”.
He had been told at that time if he kept his nose clean until December 16 he would have the charge dismissed, however, in court this week Mr Quinn told the judge his client was not in court because he was sitting an exam on the introduction to the history of philosophy.
Judge John Neilan accepted this and adjourned the case until March 24.
