Queried cost of travel to do community service work

‘HE has used up his credit in the District Court and it seems he has used up his credit in the Circuit Court too,’ Judge James McNulty said when dealing with an outstanding charge brought against Skibbereen teenager Dylan Fahy (18).

Fahy of 18 Mardyke Park, Skibbereen, was pleading guilty to a charge of cannabis possession at a flat at the Regal Estate on the Castletownshend Rd, on January 5th 2018. His solicitor Flor Murphy said it was the last charge to be brought against his client, that related to January 2018, a period of time when he went ‘off the rails’. Sgt Paul Kelly told the court that Gda Padraig Conchuir was called to investigate a complaint that a man had been found asleep in a flat. When the garda woke Dylan Fahy he found him to be in possession of a Ziploc bag containing cannabis worth €196. 

Mr Murphy explained that his client had appealed previous District Court convictions – including a 10-month prison term – and that the judge in the Circuit Court had adjourned the case back to July.

The court heard that Circuit Court Judge Brian O’Callaghan had warned the accused that he was to engage with the probation services and to stay out of trouble or he would increase the prison sentence.

Mr Murphy said Judge O’Callaghan had given his client ‘a last chance’ and Judge McNulty said he, too, would consider asking the accused to do community service in lieu of a prison sentence in respect of the remaining charge.

The probation officer explained that the only community service work on offer at the moment is in Clonakilty and that the accused would have to travel there once a week.

The probation officer the told Judge McNulty that Dylan Fahy had ‘expressed reservations about the cost of transport to Clonakilty’. Judge McNulty’s immediate response was to say: ‘That is a bit rich, isn’t it?’ 

Nevertheless, he adjourned the case to the May 28th sitting to allow time for community work to become available in Skibbereen, and for the imposition of penalty.