Judge Mary Devins adjourned sentencing on a man who broke two windows in a premises to see if he is suitable for community service, at Claremorris District Court this week.
Garda Tony Payton told the court that on March 17 2009 at 1.10am he received a call to say that someone had broken two windows in business premises in Claremorris with a wooden plank and that the culprit had been restrained by a group of locals. When he arrived on the scene he arrested the individual who was Noel McLoughlin, of no fixed abode, who admitted the offence.
Garda John Coen then told the court that on April 17 2009 he was on mobile patrol in Convent Place, Claremorris, at 9.15pm and saw McLoughlin in a drunken state. He saw him fall to the ground, pick himself back up and then fall to the ground again. He arrested McLoughlin and then brought him back to the station.
Solicitor for McLoughlin, Cathy McDarby, told the court: “My client has had a hard life, his parents are separated and he was living with his father in Claremorris. Things got so bad for him there he wanted to be remanded to prison rather than go home, he said previously. He is living on the streets and he wants to pay compensation for the windows, but he has no income to do it. He has asked that you consider community service in this case so he may be able to give something back to the community and maybe get a start in life again.” Judge Devins remanded McLoughlin on bail until October 20 to have him assessed to see if he is suitable for community service.
