A 32-year-old Dublin woman had a slap up meal at g Hotel before taking off without paying the bill and then tried to avoid paying a taxi fare into the city centre, the Galway District Court heard this week.
A visibly distressed Sharon Earle with an address at 45 Sandyford Hall View, Dublin 18, appeared in court last Monday and pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining goods, knowing that payment on the spot was required, and dishonestly making off without paying and intending to avoid paying on June 28, 2008.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that at 10.20pm the defendant, in the company of man who failed to appear, was at the g Hotel and left without paying for a meal valued at €54. The defendant then got a taxi and attempted to leave without paying the fare. The taxi driver observed the defendant entering Sally Longs pub and when gardai arrived at the scene pointed her out to them. The inspector added that the defendant had no previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn handed Judge Mary Fahy two reports which he said “may explain her background”. Mr MacLynn, who had to repeatedly tell his client to remain calm, said that she was a single woman with a “very serious” history of alcohol and substance abuse. He said that she had tried to complete programmes but was not able to stay in them. However he added that the defendant does hope to go to St John of Gods for further rehabilitation.
“She’s in a very distressed state at the moment... She is making strenuous efforts to deal with her problems,” he said.
Judge Mary Fahy replied that the “level of distress” shown by the defendant in court was “totally disproportionate”. However, she said that the defendant, who was “very vulnerable”, clearly needs to stay in a programme instead of coming to Galway and meeting with certain people.
Earle was then convicted and fined €300 for each charge and given four months to pay.
