A man who went around collecting money for a charity with the aim of spending the money on alcohol was before Castlebar District Court this week.
Garda Michael Toland said that on November 3 2012 gardaí received a report in relation to a man collecting money without a permit.
Graham Coughlan, 197 Cois na Haibhann, Tuam, Co Galway, had collected money from the front bar of the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, and the Shamrock Bar, Breaffy. Patrons in the Shamrock Bar became suspicious and asked Coughlan for his permit, he quickly left and said that he was going to his car to get a permit.
A total of €36.52 was collected from both premises.
The defendant admitted to gardaí that he collected the money in a bucket which had ‘Peata collection’ on it—he was pretending to collect for Pieta House.
Coughlan’s solicitor said that the defendant had a drink problem at the time and was on tablets for depression. He made the collection in order to get money for alcohol. The court heard that he has since stopped drinking, has completed a course and internship, and has moved away from Tuam and is living with his girlfriend.
The defendant, who was in receipt of €188 social welfare per week at the time, was asked by Judge Mary Devins if he drank every cent of this, to which he replied, “yes Your Honour”.
Judge Devins asked for a probation report and asked the probation officer to enquire from Pieta House if it would it be possible for him to repay it by doing some voluntary work.
The judge said that “to abuse an excellent charity like Pieta House which is helping people at the end of their tether, makes it all the more worse.” The judge suggested the defendant might also look at doing a a course in grammar and spelling—making reference to the misspelling on his collection bucket.
The case was adjourned to November 20.
