Man receives 220 hours community service for stealing €10 bottle of wine
By Brendan Grehan
A REVELLER who stole a bottle of wine from a garage and assaulted the manager, ripping his top had been sentenced to 220 hours community service by Blanchardstown District Court.
Gerard Shortt had been at a house party before the incident and had an argument with his girlfriend.
Shortt, aged 26, with an address at Melrose Avenue, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to stealing a €10 bottle of wine, assaulting the shopkeeper, causing €100 of criminal damage to the shopkeeper's jersey and breach of the peace at Texaco, Newcastle Road, Lucan, on March 13, 2016.
Blanchardstown District Court heard the incident happened at Texaco Service Station, Newcastle Road, on March 13 last year.
Shortt had taken the wine and left without paying for it. He was challenged by the store manager and there was a struggle between the two men.
During the struggle the store managers top was torn.
Gardai arrived to see Shortt being held by the store manager.
Shortt’s solicitor, John O’ Doherty said his client had been at a house party and had an argument with his girlfriend.
He left the party and “shouldn’t have been out” as he had had a lot to drink and “wasn’t in a fit state”.
Shortt went into the garage and took the bottle of wine but had no money.
Mr O’Doherty said Shortt had an addiction to drink and cannabis in the past but had left that behind.
He had a number of previous convictions but had not been in trouble recently.
Judge McHugh said his first instinct would be to jail Shortt, but he had to take into account the fact that some time had passed since his last conviction.
He sentenced Shortt to 220 hours community service with five months jail in default.
TAGS Clondalkin
