Man sold fake phone on Facebook
Judge said defendant had 'no respect for the judicial system or the court'
A MAN who sold a counterfeit phone on social media was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment after Judge Geraldine Carthy said he had “no respect for the judicial system or the court” when he appeared before her in Carlow District Court.
Patrick O’Donnell, St Mary’s Park Halting Site, Finglas, Dublin pleaded guilty to selling the counterfeit phone and to using a false instrument during an incident that occurred at Church Street, Graiguecullen on 2 November 2022.
Solicitor Chris Hogan told Judge Carthy that Mr O’Donnell had got the phone from another person and accepted that he “should have been more careful” before he put it up for sale on Facebook. He added that his client (22) was unemployed because he had “difficulties” and that he had €1,000 for the injured party by way of compensation.
Judge Carthy noted that several bench warrants were issued over the years to get Mr O’Donnell to court and found that he had “no respect for the judicial system or the court” before handing him a custodial sentence of seven months. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.
