Interpol checks address of man over unpaid bills

A man accused of clocking up thousands of euro in unpaid hotel bills in Cork City has been remanded in custody as details of his identity need to be checked through Interpol.

Gardaí objected to John Wilkins, 58, getting bail at Cork district court yesterday. Garda Ruth Healy first charged the defendant with obtaining by deception, services at Moran’s Silversprings hotel to the value of €124 on October 17.

Det Garda Darragh Murray then charged him with two more serious offences related to alleged stays at two other hotels earlier this month.

Mr Wilkins is charged with obtaining bed and breakfast and evening meals at the Clarion hotel between October 2 and October 9 and causing a loss of €1,200 for the hotel.

Similarly, he is charged with obtaining bed and breakfast at the Imperial Hotel between October 8 and October 17, thereby causing a loss to the hotel and a gain for himself to the value of €1,390.

When Det Garda Murray put the Clarion charge to Wilkins, the accused replied: “As I said yesterday, guilty on both counts.”

To the Silversprings charge he said: “As I stated in the previous charge, guilty.” Garda Healy said Mr Wilkins gave her an English address which was still being checked out through Interpol yesterday.