A 43-year-old man who was placed under the care of the probation service by court order decided to go to the Athens Olympics rather than attend for treatment for his alcohol addiction. Ann Healy reports from Galway.
Mr Joseph O'Connor, originally from Dublin but with an address at Leitirburca, Ballymoneen Road, Knocknacarra, Galway, stole 48 cans of beer from his local supermarket on May 16th because he hadn't enough money to pay for them.
O'Connor admitted at Galway District Court in May that he was a binge-drinker who had undertaken alcohol treatment courses in recent years.
At the initial hearing of the case, Mr Adrian MacLynn, defending, said his client came from a middle-class, reasonably well-educated background in Terenure and had lost his job in a travel agency company due to his alcohol addiction.
Judge Mary Fahy put the accused under the care of the Court Probation and Welfare Service and adjourned the case pending a report.
However, in court yesterday the report stated that O'Connor had abandoned a treatment programme to go to the Olympics in Athens.
It said that he would continue to reoffend if he continued to drink.
Imposing a three-month sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Fahy said every opportunity had been given to the accused and it was now up to him.
Observing that O'Connor had been granted Free Legal Aid at the initial court hearing in May, the judge remarked that this was " a great little country" given the fact he could afford to go to the Olympics.