An 18-year-old man who stole a mobile phone and then made the injured party withdraw €700 from various ATMs in order get the phone back, was before Ballina District Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced to St Patrick’s Institution for theft. The Ballina man was also jailed for using counterfeit notes.
Sergeant Gerry Lee told the court that on August 23 2008, an 18-year-old man, who had been out socialising in Ballina, had his mobile phone stolen in Supermac’s, Ballina. Upon exiting the takeaway the injured party was approached by Christie Collins, 17 Fenian Row, Ballina, and two others (who have since been dealt with by the juvenile liaison scheme ) who told him that if he wanted his mobile back he would have to pay for it.
The injured party went to the Ulster Bank ATM, accompanied by the defendant and the two other men, where he withdrew €100. The owner of the phone was told that this was not enough and then went to Permanent TSB where on two occasions €200 was withdrawn from the ATM. The injured party was made to withdraw more money from other ATMs. A total of €700 was withdrawn that night.
Sgt Lee, who was on patrol, noticed the defendant shouting at the injured party and called the gardaí to notify them that three men were forcing a person to take out cash. Garda Lee approached the men. At this stage the phone was thrown back at the injured party.
The defendant and the two other men shouted at the injured party to tell the gardaí that the men didn’t take anything. €635 was retrieved from the defendant.
Counterfeit notes
Another case involving Collins was also heard at the court sitting. Detective Garda Eddie Naughton outlined that on Wednesday October 22 2008, Collins entered Carr’s supermarket on Lord Edward Street, Ballina, where he tried to pay for a bottle of Lucozade with a counterfeit €50. The staff refused the counterfeit note. Later that day the defendant went to the Auld Shebeen, Abbey Street, where the fake €50 was changed as Collins told a staff member that he needed the change for a taxi. The employee realised it was counterfeit and challenged Collins, who ran up the street.
On October 23 Collins went to Top Oil, Crossmolina Road, Ballina, where he asked staff to change €50. After the counterfeit note was taken in the staff member realised what had occurred and later that day when Collins returned the staff members asked for the cash back and refused to give Collins back the €50 counterfeit note.
The defendant also returned to Carr’s supermarket where he tried to use the €50 for the purchase of €5 phone credit but this was not accepted.
On November 11 the defendant was arrested and denied all knowledge even when shown CCTV.
Alan Gannon, who represented Collins, said that the 18-year-old, who lives at home with six others in a three bedroom house, suffers from a depressive illness; is engaged in the psychiatric services; drinks to excess and needs help.
Judge Mary Devins said that what happened on August 23 “appals me” as “how dare” Collins and the other two men put anybody else in fear. The judge described Collins’ actions towards a young man who was in an “extraordinary vulnerable situation” as “vicious”, “bullying”, and “terrorising” and said that the crime was “totally and utterly despicable” and “absolutely disgusting”.
Judge Devins said that but for the Garda presence on the street that night more damage could had been done, and added that in 10 years she has not heard evidence like it.
Collins, who has 17 previous road traffic convictions, was convicted and fined a total of €1,000 for the section four theft and was sentenced to six months in St Patrick’s Institution. For using counterfeit notes Collins was convicted and fined €500 and sentenced to three months consecutive and three months concurrent to the other jail sentence.
Recognisances were fixed.
