A Galway man, with 15 previous convictions, was before Castlebar District Court on Wednesday after he removed two planks of scaffolding from the Castlebar Garda compound and placed them in his trailer after he retrieved his impounded car.
Ian Jackson, 8 Ardilaun Road, Newcastle, Galway, called to Castlebar Garda Station on February 22 this year to collect his impounded car. While trying to place his car onto his jeep and trailer Jackson used two pieces of scaffolding, which were in the Garda compound, to help him load his car onto the trailer. The defendant then placed the pieces of scaffolding into the trailer and attempted to move off but the defendant was apprehended by gardaí before he could leave the compound.
Defending solicitor for Jackson, Tom Walsh, asked the defendant if it was his intention to deprive the State of the planks, to which he was told that it was not Jackson’s intention to steal the “dirty planks” — which ruined the “good clothes” which he was wearing that day.
Mr Walsh said that it was such an unusual situation that it was plausible. Judge Mary Devins applied the Probation Act and directed that €100 be paid to Mayo Roscommon Hospice and that €100 be paid towards Jackson’s legal fees, as legal aid was refused.
