A 49-year-old man who a district court judge said is ‘doing a lot of damage to the people in West Cork’ has been sent to prison for three months for damaging the door of a boutique and also received a suspended sentence for stealing glasses from a Skibbereen pharmacy.

Marius Karanauskas, of Upper Bridge Street, Skibbereen pleaded guilty at Clonakilty District Court to criminal damage, theft and four public order charges.

The court heard that just after midnight on March 21st  last gardaí  in Skibbereen found the defendant in a heavily intoxicated state on Bridge Street and he was slurring his words. He was arrested and taken to Skibbereen Garda Station.

It was later reported to gardaí that he damaged the door of a boutique on Bridge Street by kicking it repeatedly.

On March 24th, he admitted that he had kicked the door, causing €50 worth of damage to it.

The State withdrew a theft charge involving a bottle of alcoholic lemonade from Drinagh Pharmacy, Skibbereen.

The court heard that on March 21st, the defendant entered Drinagh Pharmacy on Market Street, selected a pair of glasses priced at €7 and left the pharmacy without paying.

On March 25th and 27th last gardaí found the defendant intoxicated on Bridge Street and arrested and charged him on both occasions.

Gardaí recorded another public order offence on April 14th, when the accused was intoxicated in Killmacabea, Leap, and he was arrested for his own safety.

‘That day he told the court he would remain intoxicant free,’ said Sgt Tom Mulcahy who said by failing to do so he had breached his bail conditions.

The court heard that he has 13 previous convictions, for public order, criminal damage and drink driving offences.

His last conviction was on April 16th last at Bandon District Court for criminal damage when he soiled a garda car and a custody cell, for which he received a four-months prison sentence, suspended for 12 month.

Defence solicitor Éamonn Fleming said his client has a major alcohol addiction problem which he seems to be unable to deal with. The defendant is a single man who works in a breakers yard.

‘I want help, I need help,’ said Mr Karanauskas.

‘You are doing a lot of damage to the people of West Cork,’ said Judge Joanne Carroll.‘You reoffended while on bail and unless you address your alcohol problems you are going to be spending a lot more time in custody.’

Judge Carroll sentenced him to  three months in prison on the criminal damage charge to the door. She imposed a four-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, for the theft from Drinagh Pharmacy.

The sentence for each of the four public order offences was a €200 fine, or three days prison in-lieu to run consecutively.

The prison sentences are to run concurrently.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.