Man caught begging eight times in Cork city fined €500

Man told he faces jail if brought before the courts again

The man given a suspended sentence of nine weeks.

A man who was caught begging eight times in Cork city was fined €500 and given a total suspended sentence of nine weeks.

Robert Burduja, aged 54, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the eight incidents of impeding the passage of pedestrians by begging.

In one incident, on October 23, 2024, at Grand Parade at 12.40pm, he was arrested for begging and €93 in coins were seized together with €410 in cash notes.

Judge Mary Dorgan commented: “What is troubling me is that on this occasion he was found with €500 which would have more than paid for accommodation.

He was arrested for begging on November 1 at Daunt Square. On November 4 he was arrested for begging at Daunt Square and he had €94 in coins.

Judge Dorgan was told that, again on November 7, 2024, Mr Burduja was begging having been given several opportunities to desist at Grand Parade but failed to do so.

This year on September 13, he was begging on Grand Parade at 10.45am. On September 22, he was begging on Grand Parade at 4pm. On October 1, he was begging at Nano Nagle Bridge at 11am. And on October 6 at Grand Parade, he was begging at 11am.

Shane Collins-Daly said the accused had worked in the grocery business and came to Ireland a year ago.

“He travelled initially to the UK hoping to stay there but was denied admission to the UK and was returned on a flight to Dublin where he had no connections or family. He came to Cork as he had friends and acquaintances in Cork.

“Unfortunately, he was unable to secure work and was living on the streets. He has no English. He does not have social welfare. He resorted to begging to get money to survive. He knows that because of the number of charges he is at risk of prison. He does not want to go to prison,” Mr Collins-Daly said.

Judge Dorgan said: “He is entitled to be here. But if he comes before the court again he will get all those sentences (consecutive sentences totalling nine weeks but suspended) so he has to stop. He needs to deal with homeless services.”