A man who stole three bottles of wine from stores in Castlebar in October and November last year appeared before Castlebar District Court this week.
The court heard how Neijus Rudkauskas, with a listed address at 134 Chestnut Grove, Castlebar, entered Corrib Oil Service Station, Castlebar, on October 3 2008, where he removed two bottles of wine with values of €6.99 and €4.99 each. Over a month later, on November 13, the defendant removed a €6.99 bottle of wine from Tesco’s.
Rudkauskas, who represented himself, and has a previous conviction for theft, admitted his involvement on both occasions to gardaí, but the property was not recovered.
Judge Mary Devins said to the court that the cost to the State to send a person to prison was a lot of money, money which the State does not have, but that people who own these shops need to be protected, even if the cost of property taken was not a lot.
The defendant told the judge that he was now living in Dublin and hoped to soon be employed fishing. Judge Devins said that she hoped the defendant stayed east and remanded him for sentencing on continuing bail to appear at Castlebar District Court on November 18 for sentencing.
