Judge describes skateboard protest as anarchic

A protester used his skateboard to smash windows at the pub-restaurant Electric premises on South Mall in Cork in an action which his solicitor said yesterday was misguided, but the sentencing judge described it as anarchic.

Tom De Largo with an address at an apartment at Nicholas Street, Cork, previously pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to causing €1,000 worth of criminal damage to the premises.

His solicitor Shane Collins Daly confirmed yesterday De Largo, aged 27, had brought the full amount of compensation to court.

Inspector John Deasy said Detective Garda Colin Greenway had investigated the crime on August 18, 2012. The detective saw the defendant using a skateboard in an attempt to break windows. When the property was examined, a number of panes of glass had been smashed, to the value of €1,000. When the defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of causing the damage, sentencing was adjourned for him to bring the compensation to court.

Mr Collins Daly said: Given that De Largo had no previous convictions, the judge adjourned penalty until September 8 to allow time for the preparation of a probation report.