A man who was begging outside Mass in Roscommon town on St Patrick's Day was later discovered to have €11,000 in cash in a bag when arrested by gardaí.
Damian Dychtanowicz (28), of no fixed abode, was sentenced to two weeks imprisonment yesterday for begging at the Sacred Heart church on Abbey Street.
Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick at Roscommon District Court imposed the jail term on the Polish national and commented that "he had a downright cheek to have €11,000 in his possession and to be begging".
Judge Fitzpatrick said there were a lot more people a lot worse off than the defendant who would have taken pity on him.
Garda Michael Finnegan of Roscommon Garda station told the recent court sitting he had attended 11am Mass when he saw the defendant begging outside the church. He said the man was sitting on the ground with a placard and paper cup and was collecting money.
"I ordered him to leave the area and he left reluctantly," said Garda Finnegan.
Dychtanowicz, however, subsequently returned to the church and continued begging and Garda Finnegan once again ordered him to leave the area.
The man left reluctantly but when Garda Finnegan later returned to the church with a patrol car, the man was discovered in the back of the church.
While he was being arrested, a local woman who had taken pity on him arrived with a hot meal.
Dychtanowicz was arrested under section 3 of the Vagrancy Act 1847 and taken to Roscommon Garda station. When gardaí searched his bag they discovered €11,000 in cash.
Supt Willie Gallagher told the court that his bag contained €11,000 in €50, €20 and €5 notes, and some sterling.
Mr Dychtanowicz had no legal representation in court and said he did not want a solicitor. He was assisted in court by a Polish interpreter.
When questioned by Judge Fitzpatrick as to how he had come to have the €11,000, Mr Dychtanowicz, speaking through his interpreter, said he had been working in Headford in Galway. He said the money was not only his but was to be shared with his five brothers.
He said one brother was drinking that night and he had taken the money for safe keeping.
"I wonder did the woman who brought him a hot meal know that he had €11,000 in his bag. I'm sure she didn't," said the judge.