The work of judges and the courts system to properly deter and punish those who break the law is made all the more difficult and futile if prisoners are being released after only serving a few days of their sentences, the Galway District Court heard last Monday.
Judge Mary Fahy was outraged to hear that one man, who had committed 27 offences in a 12 month period, was out on the street free to commit theft despite having received an eight-month sentence earlier last month.
Stanislavas Bereznovskis (26 ) with an address at 162 Bru Na Gruadan, Castleroy, Limerick, was brought before Judge Fahy and pleaded guilty to using a tinfoil-lined cardboard box fitted into a rucksack and theft of three bottles of whiskey and brandy at Dunnes Stores, Briarhill, on June 27, 2009.
Inspector Mick Coppinger told the court that Bereznovskis was seen on CCTV putting bottles of alcohol into the tin-foil lined box, which was hidden inside the rucksack, on June 25, 2009. When the defendant returned to the store two days later to repeat the offence he was arrested. Inspector Coppinger added that the box had been lined with tin foil to prevent the alarms going off and that no property had been recovered.
The court then heard that Bereznovskis has 27 previous convictions which includes an eight month prison sentence he received on June 3, 2009. The judge was then informed that the defendant had been let out on temporary release after only serving a few days.
“It’s ridiculous. I and other judges don’t give sentences lightly. We go through the facts and try to deter and to punish. I’d say that box has travelled further than here.
“In this case crime does pay because through no fault of the court system he was being let out after a few days. All I can do is impose another sentence,” said Judge Fahy.
Bereznovskis was then convicted and sentenced to a total of 10 months. Leave to appeal was granted and Judge Fahy also made an order for the destruction of the rucksack and box.
