A judge decided to send out a message to the State’s stationers this week (January 2 ) when he struck out a shoplifting charge on accout of a recurring printing error on the summons.
Judge Seamus Hughes brought the issue to light in the case of Dylan Tumulty (18 ) of Manor Valley, Monksland who was also in court to have an updated Probation Report handed to the court in relation to a burglary charge.
However, it was the existence of a question mark in place of the euro symbol on the summons sheet prefixing the 2.50 value of chocolate Tumulty stole that most exercised the judge’s attention.
“I don’t recognise a question mark as a currency,” said the judge as he ordered the charge be struck out on the technical grounds of it having been an improperly filled out summons.
“OK. They write “E-U-R-O” after the 2.50, but it’s not accceptable in this day and age that a State agency like this hasn’t got the euro symbol on its system after nearly 15 years of it [the euro]. I want to sent this message out,” said the judge as he remanded him on continuing bail for continuing Probation Service supervision until June 19.
On July 22 Tumulty broke into the Viking boat at around 7am whilst it was moored behind the Radisson hotel, and stole up to 20 bottles of champagne, vodka, whiskey, and wine.
Tumulty and two other youths - who have been through the system - were found close by on Abbey Road having consumed most of their booty, and required the attendance of a doctor in the Garda station.
