A four-month suspended sentence was imposed on Krystian Warych, of 33 Derrynane Rd, Cork.
Warych, aged 32, pleaded guilty to his part in this crime and another burglary minutes later at the nearby English Market.
Inspector Adrian Gamble outlined the background to the crimes at Cork District Court where Judge Olann Kelleher imposed the suspended jail term.
“At 6.50am on March 28, he was seen entering Lafayette’s café in the Imperial Hotel with another man through an unlocked door while the cafe was closed and in darkness.
“They went behind the counter in the cafe and attempted to steal the cash register, damaging it in the process.
“Both men left the hotel when challenged by a staff member. Approximately 10 minutes later they entered the English Market through an unlocked door while the arcade was closed at 7am.
“While in the English Market, Warych took a bottle of lobster bisque from a display counter at Kay O’Connell’s fishmongers.
“He and his accomplice then went behind the counter of O’Mahonys Butchers and took a backpack and grocery items and took them out of the market.
Warych pleaded guilty to burglaries at the Imperial and O’Mahonys and theft at O’Connell’s.
Michael Quinlan, solicitor, said Warych was still drunk from the previous night. He said the other man was more heavily involved in the criminal activities.
Judge Kelleher imposed a four-month suspended sentence for the Imperial burglary, 150 hours’ community service for the burglary at O’Mahonys, and a €200 fine for the theft from the counter of the fishmonger.