A man with 160 previous convictions, who is currently serving a sentence for stealing a charity box containing €600 from an Athenry pub, was back before Galway District Court this week, where he received an additional sentence for stealing a charity box from Londis, Newcastle on September 20, 2024.
Paul Druse, of no-fixed abode, has been in custody since his arrest on the night of the Athenry break-in on September 15 last. He was granted bail in 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 was released from custody to work, but was repeatedly told that he couldn’t be let out unless he came up with his cash bail first.
He received a seven-month sentence on December 3 for the Athenry burglary and theft, backdated to September when he was first taken into custody. His release date for his sentence was February 20 next, but now a consecutive five-month sentence has been added.
Olivia Traynor, solicitor (defending ) pleaded that her client was a skilled labourer and had a job waiting for him when he got out of prison. He was embarrassed by the charity box theft, admitting “it was not a nice thing to do.” She added that it was a low thing to do but showed how low he was at the time. He was now three months sober while in custody since September.
Imposing the five-month consecutive sentence, Judge King described the charity box theft as an act of the “lowest moral quality.”
