A young man arrested for begging on a Galway street wants to return home to Romania as his short time in this country has proved very difficult for him.
This was the scenario outlined to Judge John King at Galway District Court when the 20-year-old who is currently in custody was brought before him.
The defendant was arrested for begging at Abbeygate Street, Galway at 17.30 pm on November 10 last. The Court was told he was blocking the free passage of the public and had a hat turned up-side-down in front of him.
Michael Cunningham solr (defending ), with the assistance of a Romanian interpreter, pleaded that the defendant was begging to survive as he had nowhere to live and no income or social welfare.
“It was in desperation, he was doing it just to survive,” he told the Court, adding that he was just eight months in the country and was very much alone here. He found him very polite and mannerly to deal with and understood he just wanted to return to Romania.
The defendant has already received a 14-day prison sentence for begging which had been suspended, and another five-day sentence for the same offence, and been fined €100.
Judge King said that if he wanted to go home it might work if he imposed a one-month prison sentence with a stay on it for 14 days.
“If he’s here then he’s here and if he’s not he’s not,” he said.
However, Garda Sgt Christy Brown informed him that the defendant was again due before the Court on December 8 on other matters, and asked that everything be put back to the December 15 sitting for finalisation.
Judge King agreed and remanded him in custody, saying that the defendant would be given credit for time served when it came to sentencing on that date.
