Judge: ’Tis a great country

“Tis a great little country” a judge remarked after being told a man with over 100 convictions who was found boarding a train in Killarney for Banteer in Co Cork with a new bike he had just stolen from a shop in the Kerry town’s High Street would be able to go back home on the train on a free travel pass.

Mark Purcell, aged 44, of Orchard View, Banteer, Co Cork, had been remanded in custody in December after he pleaded guilty to three charges including the theft of two jumpers worth €72 from Leading Labels, a shop at the Killarney Outlet Centre, and a white Trek bicycle, the property of Derry O’Sullivan from O’Sullivan’s Bikeshop in High Street, on December 12 last.

The property had been recovered, but there had been €120 in damage caused to the bike after Mr Purcell tried to scrape off the bicycle’s identifying numbers, Sgt Kieran O’Connell had told the December court in evidence.

Mr Purcell had 102 previous convictions, the court was told, and 29 of those were for theft.

The court heard that at around 3.10pm, on December 12, gardaí on duty at the Killarney railway station observed a man pushing a bike into the railway station and they became suspicious because of his behaviour.

At the same time a report came over the garda radio that a bike had been stolen from a bike shop in High Street.

The defendant had also been found with two jumpers from the shop near the railway station and the tags were still on the jumpers.

The man’s solicitor, Padraig O’Connell, had sought to have Mr Purcell, who he said was a father of two young children, and who was dependent on social welfare, released for Christmas.

Mr Purcell said only he could collect his social welfare payment at the post office.

However, the judge refused Mr Purcell bail and remanded him in custody overnight to Tralee and in further custody to the January court in Killarney.

Mr Purcell’s solicitor had said he would make arrangements to have the man’s welfare payment collected.

Yesterday, Padraig O’Connell asked that his client be given bail to give him a chance to pay for the €120 criminal damage.

Judge O’Connor agreed to a “short adjournment” and remanded Mr Purcell with consent to bail to January 17 next when he would have to come up with the compensation for the damage he caused to the bicycle.

“He’s to leave Killarney straight away,” the judge said. “Be gone by 1pm.”

“How are you going to get there?” Judge O’Connor then enquired.

Mr Purcell said he would be able to get the 1.20pm train to Banteer from the Killarney railway station near the court.

“I have a travel pass,” Mr Purcell said.

At this Judge O’Connor remarked: “Tis a great little country. 102 convictions and a travel pass.”