AN IRISH national on a working holiday in Brisbane, Australia has been told to leave the country after he received a 12-month suspended sentence for a series of offences described by prosecution lawyers as “bizarre”.
Sentencing Richard William O’Flynn earlier this week, Brisbane judge Milton Griffin told the 25-year-old carpenter that the sooner he is out of the country the better.
In the most bizarre incident recounted in Brisbane’s district court, O’Flynn took his pet goldfish into a ticket agency office and demanded money so he could pay for food to feed it.
He had initially passed a note to an employee at the ticket agency which read: “Give me all the f***ing money from the till.”
The court heard that after O’Flynn was told there was no money, he returned carrying a water-filled container with a live fish inside. On another occasion, he and a male friend got drunk and entered a bakery, where he requested a “gay cake” for their “gay wedding”.
O’Flynn then picked up a cake decorating knife and threatened the shop assistant, demanding that she hand over money. When the assistant told him she would call the police, he and his friend left the shop, the court was told.
O’Flynn pleaded guilty to one count each of attempted armed robbery and attempted stealing.
He also pleaded guilty to using a phone service to menace, harass or cause offence after repeatedly calling an estate agent and abusing her because she left a flier in his mailbox.
O’Flynn also pleaded guilty to wilful damage relating to an argument during which he kicked a car belonging to the manager of a backpacker hostel.
O’Flynn was nearing the end of a two-year working holiday visa when he committed the offences in Brisbane late last year, the court heard.
The judge sentenced O’Flynn to 12 months’ jail suspended after 80 days, which he had already served in pre-sentence custody. He was released on condition that he return to Ireland without delay.
Justice Griffin described O’Flynn’s behaviour as “disgraceful” and said Australia would be better off without him. “We will all be altogether pleased to see you go,” the judge added.