Judge tells accused to get bus timetable

A man has been ordered by a judge to bring a bus time-table to court to prove he knows how to find his way there for his next case.

Shane Valentine was arrested by gardaí in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, after failing to make court appointments in both Drogheda and Swords.

Mr Valentine, 21, had been the subject of 17 bench warrants. He appeared before Judge Conal Gibbons, at Letterkenny District Court. Judge Gibbons asked him why he had not turned up for his court appearances. He replied he did not know “there was a bus to Drogheda.”

Mr Valentine, of 17A, Sylvan Park, Letterkenny, is also charged with a public order offence at Letterkenny General Hospital. He also told the judge he had not made himself known to gardaí in Letterkenny because he only “goes to town two days a week” and chooses a route that does not pass the garda station.

Gardaí objected to bail, but Judge Gibbons granted it on strict conditions. Mr Valentine said he was living with his pregnant girlfriend and feared being put in jail if he turned up in court.

“I was afraid to go back to court in case I get locked up and lose everything I have with that girl,” said Mr Valentine.

Adjourning the case to August 13, the judge ordered him to “bring me in a bus timetable and show how you have worked out how to get to Drogheda and Swords”.