A Lithuanian man who was living in a tent near the Spanish Arch for a time was sentenced to three months in prison at Galway District Court this week for carrying a weapon known as a nunchuck.
Arunas Sorokinas (40 ), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to having a set of nunchucks, which could cause serious injury to a person, in his possession at Eyre Square on July 27 last.
Sorokinas first appeared before Galway District Court on July 30 and he was remanded in custody with consent to bail on that date providing he could give the State proof of a permanent address in this jurisdiction. Inspector Mick Coppinger told that court that Sorokinas had no permanent address here and was living in a tent at the Spanish Arch for a time.
Bail was not taken up in the interim and in court this week, Sorokinas also pleaded guilty to being drunk and a danger to himself and others at McGuire’s, Raven’s Terrace, while a charge of stealing a bottle of wine was now proceeded with.
Inspector Sean Glynn explained the nunchucks comprised two short steel bars held together by a chain in the middle. He said Sorokinas had previous convictions for theft and public order offences in the Dublin courts.
Defence solicitor Susan McLoughlin said her client resided in Holland with his family but he had come to Ireland for a three-month holiday recently. She said he had a difficulty with drink and he forgot to pay for the bottle of wine. She said he found the set of nunchucks on the ground but had no intention of ever using them.
Judge Eamon O’Brien imposed a three-month sentence on the accused for having the nunchucks in his possession and took the remaining charge into account.
