A MAN who was convicted of being drunk in Kealkil was fined €100 and a suspended 30-day sentence was re-activated by Judge James McNulty at Bantry District Court.
Dusan Kotlar (27) of No 1, The Forge at Breenybeg in Kealkil, admitted through his solicitor Colette McCarthy that he was intoxicated at Gearagh, Kealkil, on July 12th last.
It was Sgt Trish O’Sullivan who informed the court that the accused, who has been living with his family in Kealkil for the last seven months, has 11 previous convictions.
She said the accused has a previous conviction under the Misuse of Drugs Act from April 2023, as well as a three-month sentence for a theft offence.
At a sitting of Bandon court in October 2022, Sgt O’Sullivan said the accused was convicted of dangerous driving and given a one-month sentence that was suspended for two years.
There is also, she said, a 90-day sentence in respect of a drink driving charge that was suspended for two years at Clonakilty District Court on December 21st 2021.
It was the one-month sentence that Judge James McNulty reactivated, but Ms McCarthy asked for recognisances to be fixed for an appeal.
Ms McCarthy outlined to the court that her client was born in the Czech Republic, but has lived in Ireland since his infancy.
She said he relocated from Cork city to Kealkil with his wife and two children, and she told the court that another child is due next September.
‘A suspended sentence needs to mean something,’ said Judge McNulty.
‘He was given a suspended sentence for dangerous driving, but he also has the 90-day suspended sentence for drink driving.’
The accused appealed directly to the judge not to reactivate any of the sentences, but Judge McNulty told him: ‘You are in West Cork now. You have had your chance.
‘You might be lucky and get early release because of the overcrowding in prison,’ he said, ‘but when you get out there will be a 90-day sentence hanging over you if you re-offend.’
