Bantry court table's French polish ‘a credit' to teenager

A 19-YEAR-OLD Bandon teen who pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis used his training skills on a voluntary basis to French polish the court table in Bantry District Court. 

Jonathan Holland, 25 Clancool Terrace, Bandon, appeared at a recent sitting of Bandon District Court where he pleaded guilty to the possession of cannabis on May 30th 2015.

Solicitor Diarmuid O’Shea said his client is not working but is training with his father to be a French polisher.  Mr O’Shea said that the value of the cannabis was €10 and was for his own use and that Mr Holland co-operated with the gardai.

Judge James McNulty said that at a previous court sitting he wanted the defendant to use his skills and talent to do some service and he asked him to work on the table in Bantry courtroom. 

Mr O’Shea said most of the work is completed and Jonathan did the work under his father’s supervision.

Jonathan’s father told Judge McNulty that in terms of the work, his son did 70% of it, while he had to do the finishing of it. He said he was pleased enough with Jonathan’s work but that there was an issue with the timeline and he would have preferred a longer time to complete the polishing.

Judge McNulty said it was of great credit to him and Jonathan for the finished work on the table and asked if the table is too fine could it get damaged due to wear and tear? Mr Holland said it’s difficult to say how the table would wear but that it would help if it was shortened.

Judge McNulty said that Jonathan has done far more on a voluntary basis that the court could ever do, and that the court would treat him leniently. Jonathan’s father said his son also took on a community project in his estate which was featured in ‘The Southern Star’.

The paper was produced in court as evidence of this. Solicitor O’Shea said he was seeking the Probation Act in the circumstances but Judge McNulty said he would like to monitor his progress and adjourned the case until December 15th. 

Judge McNulty also asked Jonathan and his father to let him know the cost for the materials and travel expenses in completing the work on the court desk.