This article is from page 14 of the 2008-10-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
TWO homeless men who sought Shelter broke into a house in Ennis, drank a bottle of gin and then went to sleep in two of the bedrooms – in the mistaken belief that the house was vacant!
Both non-nationals Josef Pavelka (47), Lakeville, Gort Road, Ennis, and Aruydos Voronius (40), Riverd- ale, Tulla Road, Ennis, admitted en- tering a home in Highfield Park, En- nis, as a trespasser and committing theft, last Wednesday, October 22.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told Ennis District Court that a man returned to his home at 9pm and discovered an empty bottle of gin on the table.
“It had been taken and consumed in the house. The accused men were asleep in bedrooms,” he said.
Gardai were called to the house and the two men were awakened from their sleep and arrested.
Defending solicitor Daragh Has- sett said the case gave a “whole new meaning to falling asleep on the
job.”
He said both of his clients were
homeless and took refuge in the house.
Pavelka, a native of the Czech Re- public, had worked in construction, but lost his job and has been living rough. His co-accused, a native of Lithuania, has also lost his job.
Mr Hassett said it was a bad night and the accused thought the house was vacant.
“[‘m not trying to minimise it but on the level of breaking and entry, it’s on the lower scale. They did not ransack the house,” he said.
He said the two had been living
with other homeless people from Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. ““Both men are homeless, without benefits, living from hand to mouth at the moment,’ he added.
Judge Joseph Mangan, asked, “They sought shelter?”
The solicitor said this was the case. The judge continued, “On a wet night? They didn’t do much to make Le ata
“Tf it was November, I’d be refer- ring to the Star of Bethlehem,” re- plied the solicitor. The judge add- ed, “If there was a third one in the
company, you might be referring to something else.”
He asked did the men have the money for the gin in court and was told they did not.
Both were remanded on continuing bail to re-appear in court next month and the judge said they must pay €15 compensation each.
“We won’t ask them to make the beds. If that is done (compensation paid) on that date, I’ll take a certain view in the matter. If it’s not, I’ll take quite a different view,’ said the judge.