A Dublin man who was initially given a suspended sentence was jailed for three months by the Special Criminal Court yesterday after he refused to enter a bond to keep the peace.
John Valentine (28), of Dublin 8, was convicted under the Offences Against the State Act of failing to give an account of his movements on August 6th, 1998 to gardai. The rarely used charge carries a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment.
The court initially imposed a three-month prison sentence, suspended on condition that Valentine enter a bond to keep the peace. When the court registrar read the terms of the bond to Valentine and asked him if he agreed to be bound by it, he replied: "No".
Mr Justice Johnson, presiding, said that since Valentine would not enter the bond, the suspended sentence would be removed.