A man who made off with €600 - including €185 in coins - from an Athenry pub’s poor box finally had his case concluded when he was brought from prison to appear before Judge Vincent Deane at Loughrea District Court.
Paul Druse (no fixed abode ) has been in custody since his arrest on the night of the break-in on September 15 last. He was granted bail on his first appearance at Galway District Court, where he was taken to the cells for repeatedly interrupting and hurling abuse at the presiding Judge, Fiona Lydon.
Druse has appeared at numerous court sittings since September 15, explaining that he couldn’t take up his bail unless he got out of custody to work, but was repeatedly told that he couldn’t be let out unless he came up with his cash bail first.
Judge Deane heard, at a September hearing, that the defendant burgled the Fields Bar in Athenry, where he stole the poor box containing €600 and a bottle of vodka.
Gardaí were alerted, identified Druse from the pub’s CCTV and located him some time later with the stolen items in his possession. The judge was told he smashed a window to gain entry to the pub.
Druse has 158 previous convictions, 13 of which were for burglary, the court heard. He had received an eight-month prison sentence for a previous offence with the final month suspended. The pub burglary now triggered this one-month suspended part of that sentence which now had to be served along with any new sentence for this latest offence.
The defence pleaded that all Druse’s offences were alcohol related but that he’s attending AA meetings in prison and had €200 with him to go towards compensation to the pub. He had three children and 10 grandchildren and was holding his hand up to the offence and pleading guilty.
Judge Deane imposed a seven-month sentence, backdated to September 15, and adjourned other matters to come before Galway District Court on December 10.
Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.
