A MAN who damaged a hairdresser’s plate glass window was given a 90-day sentence that was suspended for two years on condition that he keep the peace and pay the repairs.
Through his solicitor Colette McCarthy, Mindaugas Kulvietas (35) of Apartment 4 at The Corner House, North Street, Skibbereen, pleaded guilty at the local court to a charge of causing criminal damage in the amount of €850 at Aisling’s Hair Studio in North Street on November 13th last.
Sgt Paul Kelly gave evidence that Gda Karen O’Flynn investigated the evening time incident and, after examining the town’s CCTV footage, she saw the accused flick his right hand and break the window.
The sergeant said an ambulance was called and the accused, who has nine previous convictions, was taken to hospital for treatment. However, before he was taken away, he admitted causing the damage.
Ms McCarthy said her client, a Lithuanian national, had been talking to his girlfriend at the time. She said they were not arguing, but he did ‘fling out his arm’.
‘He doesn’t remember it being intentional,’ said the solicitor, who also told the judge her client sustained an ‘horrific injury to his hand’ and now has an extensive scar.
She said there was a period of time in 2019 and 2020, when his marriage was breaking up, he had been drinking a lot and had gotten into difficulties.
Since then, she said he has sought help and now has his drinking under control. He had returned to work, she added, but salt aggravated the injury and now he is on social welfare.
Judge James McNulty said he believed the accused’s offending was ‘continuing and escalating’ and was creating damage without cause or justification.
If the repairs are not paid, and if the accused re-offends, the judge warned, the gardaí have liberty to re-enter the matter and to activate the 90-day suspended sentence.
