Toilet dwellers ‘have celebrity status’ in town

The two homeless men who were living in public toilets in Ennis now have “celebrity status” in the town with people wanting to have their photo taken with them.

Insp Tom Kennedy told Judge Patrick Durcan at Ennis District Court yesterday the two Eastern European men have attained a new status in Ennis following the media attention they received from Josef Pavelka’s previous court appearance.

At the previous appearance, Judge Durcan described it as “a scandal” when it emerged that Czech national Mr Pavelka, aged 52, was living in a public toilet in Ennis.

His friend, Polish national Piotr Baram, aged 35, was also sleeping in a superloo. The two men had no access to social welfare.

St Vincent de Paul arranged emergency accommodation for the two alcoholics at a tourist hostel in Galway. The two returned to Ennis earlier this week,

Mr Pavelka was yesterday re-appearing before Judge Durcan on public order charges concerning being found intoxicated in public places in Ennis.

Insp Kennedy said yesterday that “a significant negative from the men’s new status since they have arrived back in Ennis is that people are much freer in giving them money and they hurry off to the nearby off-licence to purchase alcohol”.

Probation officer Paula McNamara said the accommodation situation for the two has not improved and Mr Baram confirmed after court yesterday that they remain homeless.

Ms McNamara submitted a fresh probation report on Mr Pavelka yesterday.

Daragh Hassett, solicitor for Mr Pavelka, said his client would be pleading guilty to all matters.

Judge Durcan told Insp Kennedy that he had liberty to bring matters before the court within a 24-hour period “should the new found celebrities present any further nuisance”.

Judge Durcan remanded Mr Pavelka on bail to Ennis District Court to May 15.