Man pleads guilty to causing criminal damage and possession of stolen suitcase at Laois train station - Courts - Laois Nationalist

Solicitor Brian Duffy described what his client had done as “inexcusable.

A MAN who admitted stealing a train passenger’s suitcase returned to Portlaoise District Court last week to pay compensation for damage caused while trying to force it open.

The case was in court last month when Mohamed Gharbi (31), Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Dublin pleaded guilty to criminal damage and to possessing stolen property at Portarlington Train Station on 20 January.

That sitting heard how the defendant had taken a woman’s suitcase who was travelling on the Dublin bound train. Mr Gharbi got off in Portarlington, where he damaged the suitcase while attempting to open it. The damaged case, along with its contents, was later recovered by gardaí.

When the case resumed last week, solicitor Brian Duffy said his client had brought €100 for the injured party to court.

He described what his client had done as “inexcusable. I’d ask the court to be as lenient as possible and take it as a once-off.” Judge Tom MacSharry applied section 2 of the Probation of Offenders Act and placed the defendant under the supervision of the probation service for 12 months.