Drunk causes €2,670 damage to taxi
He was jailed yesterday by Judge Olann Kelleher at Cork District Court for a period of four months.
Anderson Fernandez, who had an address at an apartment on Pope’s Quay, Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage to the car during an incident on June 6, 2015, in Cork City, as well as charges of being drunk and a source of danger.
Inspector Gary McPolin said yesterday the accused was extremely intoxicated and climbed onto the roof of the car causing the extensive damage by jumping on it and punching it with his fists.
“He has 12 previous convictions but nothing in this jurisdiction,” the inspector said. He said those convictions related to Manchester and no details were given on those convictions.
Sentencing had been adjourned a number of times in the case for the accused to compensate the owner of the taxi. He brought a total of €1,265 to court for that purpose.
Judge Kelleher said he was not going to adjourn the matter for a further period for compensation as this had been done a number of times before and it was time to finalise the case.
Frank Buttimer, defence solicitor, addressed the court on a previous occasion saying: “It was quite simply drunkenness, a random act of drunken behaviour, plainly observed by members of the public. He does accept it was outrageous. He does wish to pay compensation and he is quite remorseful.”
The sentence imposed yesterday covered other crimes committed by the same accused since the damage to the taxi.
Inspector McPolin said that on September 17, 2016 at 4.45am on Grand Parade, Fernandez climbed the fountain and when he was soaking wet he approached a group of people sleeping on the street for a charity event and became threatening and abusive to them.
Five days earlier at Oliver Plunkett St he was with a woman and he stood out in front of a car preventing it from passing.
Finally, a €300 fine was imposed on Fernandez for having cannabis for own use on February 10, 2017 at Adelaide Place.
Solicitor, Michael Quinlan, said yesterday that the defendant had been doing much better recently and had managed to get a part-time job.
