This article is from page 22 of the 2007-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
FRIENDS turned their backs on a Polish man who was drinking a bottle of vodka a day, the Ennis District Court heard.
Piotr Baran of 47 Dun Na Hinse, Lahinch Road in Ennis, was before Judge Joseph Mangan on 14 charg-
es of stealing drink from various premises in Ennis.
His solicitor, Darragh Hassett, said the man had “a very serious drink problem” which had been under control in his native Poland.
But after he lost a job here, he began drinking a bottle of Vodka a day. “He was drunk on every oc-
casion and easily caught. All the property was recovered. He wants to go back to Poland but his friends have turned their backs on him and no-one is willing to lend him the air fare. Rather than leave him lan- guish in jail, I would ask the court to release him on bail to attend AA and to get a job to raise his fare
home,” the solicitor said.
Inspector Michael Gallagher told the judge that the tradespeople of Ennis had a right to be protected from having their property stolen.
Judge Mangan released Baran on bail on condition that he sign on sober at Ennis Garda Station each ora