A 23-year-old Lithuanian man who said he stole 14 bottles of vodka from Tesco in an attempt to raise enough money to buy a ticket home, found himself before Galway District Court yesterday, where he was placed under the care of the probation service.
Ricardas Kosovas, who is staying with other Lithuanians at Gort na Bró, Galway, was arrested by gardaí at Tesco, Galway Shopping Centre, Headford Road, Galway, after security staff caught him trying to leave the store without paying for 14 bottles of vodka worth €303.86.
Insp John Galvin said the drink was recovered and Kosovas had no previous convictions.
Solicitor Adrian MacLynn, defending, said his client came to Ireland three months ago in search of work. He obtained employment in a factory in Dublin but when that closed down a few weeks ago he moved to Galway in search of work.
Mr MacLynn said when Kosovas could not get a job in Galway he became isolated, and was soon destitute with no money. He had been taken in by his fellow countrymen and went to Tesco to take the drink, not for his own consumption but to use the funds from its sale to buy a ticket home.
Judge Conal Gibbons expressed disbelief at first, but Mr MacLynn insisted it was a plausible explanation.
Judge Gibbons considered an order leading to the young man's deportation but changed his mind and said the accused man should be given the benefit of all State supports as he was an EU citizen. "He needs assistance more than punishment," he remarked.
He adjourned sentence and remanded Kosovas on bail to appear again on September 25th.