Man charged with setting fire to newspapers at Laois court
Photo for illustrative purposes
A KILDARE man who allegedly set fire to a bundle of newspapers causing €300 worth of damage was not present when his case was called at Portlaoise District Court recently.
Paul Davis (39) from 19 Cloney Avenue, Cloneyboro, Athy was due before the court charged with being in possession of 336 sleeping tablets with a total value of €672 and to being intoxicated and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour along the Dublin Road, Portlaoise on 1 November.
Mr Davis was also charged with criminal damage by fire of newspapers to the value of €300 on 2 November at Station Road, Portlaoise and to the theft of a €20 phone credit card and a €4.80 litre bottle of Linden beer from the Applegreen Service Station, Dublin Road, Portlaoise on the same date.
Defending barrister Anne Doyle said that her client was not present in court as he was currently in hospital.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby asked that at the next hearing of the case that the defendant supply a note from the hospital indicating his stay.
Judge Susan Fay remanded the defendant on his own bail to the 22 December sitting of the court to allow him, at that stage, enter a not guilty or guilty plea to the charges, and in the event of a not guilty plea set a preliminary date of 24 February for a full hearing into the case.
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