Student lied to the gardaí to get a lift home to Carlow
The defendant told Fermoy gardaí he was getting a taxi home to Carlow when he fell asleep and ended up in Co Cork
A STUDENT who had a row with his friend and was abandoned in Fermoy, Co Cork without his phone or his wallet and subsequently lied to the gardaí so that he could get a lift home to Carlow, was before Carlow District Court last week for making false statements.
Kelvin Ibidokum, 88 Cois Dara, Tullow Road, Carlow was summoned to court for making false statements at Fermoy Garda Station on 15 May 2024 and again two days later at his home address, when he lied to gardaí for a second time.
Sergeant Hud Kelly informed the court that 22-year-old Mr Ibidokum told the garda that he worked in Dublin Airport and that he was getting a taxi home to Carlow when he fell asleep and ended up in Co Cork. Sergeant Kelly said it transpired that Mr Ibidokum was lying to the gardaí because he needed a lift back to Carlow, having been left in Fermoy by his friend.
Solicitor Alex Rafter outlined the story to Judge Geraldine Carthy, telling her that his client and his friend were delivering a hot tub down to Co Cork when they had a falling out, resulting in the friend punching Mr Ibidokum and telling him to get out of the car.
Mr Rafter continued that his client, an engineering student, had no money on him, nor did he have a phone, so he went to the nearest premises and rang Fermoy Garda Station, telling them that he fell asleep in a taxi far from home and didn’t have the money to get back. Mr Rafter said that Mr Ibidokum lied to the gardaí because he didn’t want to get his friend in trouble and that when the gardaí questioned him about it at his home two days later, he “double downed” on his lies.
Mr Rafter said that his client had been “naïve and stupid” but that he was “a very pleasant man to deal with”. He said he realised how serious it was to waste garda time and resources but asked Judge Carthy to spare his client a conviction.
Judge Carthy refused his submission but adjourned the matter until tomorrow’s sitting so that she could consider what sentence she would impose.
