Man who stole woman's purse after she gave him a lift to the shop says 'I will change, I swear'

Dusan Kotlar, 27, had pleaded guilty to taking the woman’s handbag after she had given him and one of his young children a lift as they stood on the roadside, with Mr Kotlar telling the woman he was going to Lidl.  File picture: Des Barry

A man who a judge said “robbed the Good Samaritan” by stealing a handbag from a woman who gave him a lift to the supermarket has been given a suspended jail sentence after telling the court “I will change, I swear”.

Dusan Kotlar, 27, had pleaded guilty to taking the woman’s handbag after she had given him and one of his young children a lift as they stood on the roadside, with Mr Kotlar telling the woman he was going to Lidl. 

Having been given a lift from Kealkil to Bantry, Mr Kotlar stole a purse worth €100 from the car. 

The woman noticed the missing purse when she got home, and when she went to Lidl she found Mr Kotlar, a father-of-two, who admitted the theft and handed back the item.

Mr Kotlar, of No 1, The Forge at Breenybeg in Kealkil, appeared before Judge James McNulty in Bantry District Court from custody after he had three suspended sentences activated in Clonakilty District Court last Tuesday.

Both in Clonakilty and in Bantry, Judge McNulty expressed surprise that Mr Kotlar had been given temporary release from Cork Prison having received a nine-month sentence — with six suspended — on January 18 last at Midleton District Court.

When told in Bantry that Mr Kotlar had served just two days of that sentence before being released, Judge McNulty said: “Isn’t that wonderful.” 

That nine-month sentence was for five theft convictions, and Judge McNulty heard Mr Kotlar — originally from the Czech Republic but who has lived in Ireland for 25 years — had 10 previous convictions for theft as well as 12 for road traffic offences.

Of the charge before the court, Judge McNulty said: “Isn’t it almost like robbing the Good Samaritan? When the Good Samaritan stops to help you, you rob them.” 

Mr Kotlar’s solicitor, Collette McCarthy, said it was an opportunistic rather than planned crime and that all property was returned to the woman, with Mr Kotlar admitting the theft to gardaí. 

Ms McCarthy said Mr Kotlar had a past drug dependency and was now engaging with the Caha Family Resource Centre. Mr Kotlar has a partner and two young children, both of whom have additional needs, she said.

A letter from a social worker indicated Mr Kotlar was engaging with services while a letter from Mr Kotlar himself said he wanted to help his family.

“I will change, I swear,” he said, in the letter read out in court.  “Give me a chance.” 

Judge McNulty said Mr Kotlar’s problem was “dishonesty and light fingers” and referred to the crime as a “betrayal of trust”. 

He said it warranted a 10-month jail sentence but he said to be fair to the man’s young children he would suspend it for two years, on condition that Kotlar keep the peace and refrain from all controlled drugs, while also engaging with the Probation Service and undergoing saliva and urine testing.

“In West Cork, you don’t get the suspended sentence twice,” he said. 

“If you re-offend, you will go to prison. No tears, no tissues, no children in need, nothing will convince me — it’s just 10 months, goodbye and good luck.” 

In Clonakilty last Tuesday Judge McNulty said he would activate all three suspended sentences that had been hanging over Mr Kotlar, adding: “Sadly he has re-offended so the sentences are to be served.”