A convicted thief pleaded before Galway District Court that she was not working and had no money, and so couldn’t pay €560 in fines imposed on her at an earlier Court sitting.
The woman pleaded before Judge Fiona Lydon that she was unable to pay the fines, and the Judge accepted that as she was not working there was no way of imposing an attachment order on her earning to meet the €400 and €160 fines.
The Judge asked her if she was willing to do community service in lieu of the fines, and the woman agreed to this. Judge Lydon explained that her convictions merited between 30 and 100 hours community service, and she was going to order her to do 50 hours.
The defendant confirmed that she knew what community service was, and agreed that she would keep her phone on so she could be contacted regarding her role. “It’s not for them to trace you,” the Judge warned. She informed the woman that she would be doing voluntary work of some kind, and this was agreed.
The Judge then struck out the fines.
This article is funded by Comisiún na Meán.
