An alcoholic who had been found in possession of a screwdriver and pliers after stealing a mountain bike was sentenced to seven months in jail when he appeared at Galway District Court last Monday.
Luca Denbski (29 ) with an address at Fairgreen Hostel pleaded guilty to stealing the Morida MTB mountain bike, valued at €289, and the possession of a screwdriver and pliers at Church Lane on January 28 and 29, 2009, respectively. He also pleaded guilty to threatening and abusive behaviour at Ceannt Station on December 7 2008, and at Headford Road Retail Park on December 15 2008.
Inspector Mick Coppinger told the court that on January 29 at 1.09am there had been a report of a mountain bike being stolen from Eyre Square. The defendant was later stopped and when searched was found to be in possession of screwdrivers and pliers which had been used in the theft of the bike.
On December 15 at 2.30pm gardai received a call to go to McDonald’s restaurant where the defendant was very abusive to staff. He then left the scene but was later arrested on the Headford Road for his own safety. At Ceannt Station on December 7 at 5.05pm Denbski had been on a bus where he was very abusive to the bus inspector and refused to leave. He had to be arrested and forcibly taken off the bus.
Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn said his client, a Polish national, had been in Ireland for three and a half years and had been employed as a labourer. However, Mr MacLynn added that Denbski is unemployed and has a serious drink problem which played a major part in these incidents.
Commenting that the implements found on the defendant could have been used in more serious offences Judge Mary Fahy convicted and sentenced him to a total of seven months in jail.
