An unemployed Lithuanian, who stole a bottle of vodka from a store at 9.30am as the off licence was not open, was convicted and fined €150 at Ballinrobe District Court last week.
Deividas Ivoska, 2 Mount Crescent, Mount Street, Claremorris, was observed concealing a bottle inside his jacked by gardaí outside SuperValu, Claremorris, on September 21 this year. Gardaí asked the defendant what he had concealed and were shown a bottle of vodka. CCTV footage showed the defendant taking the vodka without paying for it. The garda said that the off licence area, which does not open until 10am, was easily accessible as it was not cordoned off, which it should be.
Judge Mary Devins asked Ivoska, why he stole the alcohol, to which Ivoska replied that he has money but stole it as the off licence was not open that early in the morning.
Ivoska, who has no previous convictions, was convicted and fined.
