A Galway District Court judge described as “unfortunate” the case of a homeless man who fell into drink following the break-up of his marriage.
Judge Mary Fahy heard this week how Polish national Tomasz Lupanow had accumulated a total of 16 previous convictions, mainly for public order offences, in just a 20-month period. She was left with no alternative but to jail him for a total of three months as the situation had “gone too far” to engage the Probation Service.
Lupanow (44 ), with an address given as Fairgreen Hostel, appeared at Galway District Court last Monday where he pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place and to threatening and abusive behaviour at University Road on November 3, 2008. He also pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place at Fairgreen Hostel on November 25, 2008, and at Prospect Hill on December 14, 2008, and also to failing to appear at Galway District Court on November 24, 2008.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that the defendant had on many occasions been arrested for his own safety.
Defence solicitor Sean O’Cearbhaill said that Lupanow had had a very good job in his homeland and had been a “model drinker” up until the break-up of his marriage. He added that Lupanow took it “very badly”, resulting in him drinking more and losing his job. The defendant has been in Ireland for two years where he has continued to drink heavily.
Inspector White said that between January 2007 and September 2008 the defendant had accumulated 16 previous convictions and all of them were for similar public order offences.
Judge Mary Fahy said that the defendant’s situation was “unfortunate” as he could have been given the opportunity to engage with the Probation Service if he had turned up to court. She added that many defendants “start off with being drunk and then progress to being abusive to gardai and others”. She imposed a total of three months jail was imposed and ordered the defendant to pay €200 forthwith.
