Three young men have been given a chance to avoid criminal records for drug possession by contributing to Judge Hughes’ local project.
The project at Jail Hill will be “substantially funded by young men”, said the judge, who also observed that unfortunately it’s mostly young men who come before him.
Mullingar Tidy Towns will benefit to the tune of €500 if Daniel Lee (20 ) of 16 Newbrook Grove and John Connolly (19 ) of 64 Ardleigh Vale, both in Mullingar pay €250 by October 14. Both were caught with cannabis on Grand Parade on November 12 last year.
“I hope you’ve learned your lesson,” emphasised the judge.
Twenty-four-year-old plumber Kevin McCormack of 20 Knockaire in Knocklyon, Dublin has a visa to go to Canada and managed to avoid a criminal conviction when he paid €200 to the Tidy Towns committee.
He had a small amount of an unnamed drug when stopped at the Life Festival on May 27 this year.
One woman did contribute to the Tidy Towns’ coffers when she admitted failing to display insurance on a car she owned but left abandoned.
Charlene Clyne of 314 Dalton Park, a 21-year-old mother of two doesn’t drive herself and has no licence but bought the €400 car for her boyfriend.
However, she insisted it be registered in her name because she paid for it.
Garda Eva O’Connor seized it following complaints in February that it had been abandoned on the Ashe Road. She found it with the keys in the ignition and the doors open. Unable to contact Clyne she had no choice but to impound it.
Mr Louis Kiernan said his client now knows that having a vehicle in her name is a responsibility and said she’d pay the €200 donation by November 11.
