A man with serious alcohol issues who is in the care of the Simon Community is turning his life around, Galway District Court was told this week.
Judge John King was told that the defendant, who came before him on a public order charge, had a long battle with alcohol, but he had been working for the past four months, earning €700 per week and doing well for himself.
The court heard that on June 29 last, Gardaí on patrol found him sitting on the footpath outside an address in Newcastle in an intoxicated state.
An on-the-spot fine was imposed but this had not been paid, and as a result, he found himself before the court. He had three previous convictions for public order offences.
His solicitor pleaded that since the incident he had not come to the attention of the Gardaí, and with the assistance of the Simon Community he was now working full-time and addressing his alcohol issues.
Judge King asked whether he was paying his fines with his income and whether any fines owed were up to date, stating that this was something he’d be taking into consideration. He adjourned sentencing on the public order charge until the February 11 sitting of the court, and said if the defendant had €200 with him on that day he would consider leniency and a donation to charity, in light of the efforts which were being made to turn his life around.
