Strike nearly scuppers defendant’s efforts to get to court

The bus strike was blamed for a man accused of robbery failing to show up for his own sentencing yesterday, but his solicitor made a 68km round trip to save the day and make it better late than never.

The 47–year-old man, who previously pleaded guilty to his part in a raid on Costcutters store in Ballyhea, Charleville, Co Cork, should have been in court yesterday morning to be sentenced.

However, with no bus, Dariusz Dabrowski with an address at West End, Mallow, Co Cork, found himself stranded and unable to turn up for sentencing for the robbery of €680 worth of cigarettes and €852 in cash, on Nov 6, 2011.

Defence barrister Donal O’Sullivan said the defendant’s solicitor, David O’Meara, instructed him that the defendant had never missed a court appearance.

And to make sure that yesterday was not going to be the first blip on his client’s attendance record, Mr O’Meara drove to Mallow, picked up his client, and brought him to the Cork Circuit Criminal Court at Washington St in Cork City.

A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Dariusz Dabrowski when he failed to appear in the morning and the Garda witness who was to have given evidence at the sentencing hearing left the courthouse.

Shortly before lunchtime yesterday, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin was told that the defendant was then before the court.

It was explained that Mr Dabrowski was to have travelled by Bus Éireann bus from his home to Cork City yesterday but was unable to do so because of the strike. Thanks to his solicitor, Mr O’Meara, Mr Dabrowski did get there eventually.

Judge Ó Donnabháin agreed to vacate the warrant for the defendant’s arrest and relisted sentencing for tomorrow at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, bus or no bus.