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.