Suspended sentence for soup kitchen operator

The operator of a soup kitchen and charity shop in Sligo has received a five-month suspended sentence from a judge who said he must be “stopped in his tracks”.

Oliver Williams, of Loughrea, Co Galway, pleaded guilty at Sligo District Court to nine breaches of the Charities Act between November 17th and December 13th last year.

Judge Kevin Kilrane last week ordered the immediate closure of the Twist soup kitchen on High Street, Sligo, and the Twist charity shop on Quay Street, Sligo, after hearing they were not registered.

Gerry Coller, a licensed investigator working for the Charities Regulatory Authority, told the court on Thursday he had carried out surveillance at both premises and observed a number of people making cash purchases and not getting receipts in the charity shop.

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He told Tom MacSharry, solicitor for the accused, the soup kitchen was busy and people were not paying for food in it.

Describing the case as “very worrying”, Judge Kilrane said the entire charity sector in Ireland had been coming under scrutiny. He said criminality had been a feature of some high-profile charities and some genuine charities had suffered .

Previous convictions

After hearing the accused had 20 previous convictions, some under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, Judge Kilrane ordered Williams not to engage “directly or indirectly” with any charitable business for two years, and not to apply for charitable registration in his own name or in anyone else’s. He also ordered that any stock or outstanding donations be handed over to the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

Williams told the judge he did not have a business in Athlone , but under questioning said he used to have charity shops in Loughrea, Galway and Athlone, but these had closed. The accused agreed he had been convicted of holding a collection without a permit in Galway in 2012.

Mr MacSharry told the court the accused was a 50-year-old father of four who had set up the soup kitchen to provide a service for people in Sligo and who had attempted to register.

This was the first case of its kind taken by the Charities Regulatory Authority under the Charities Act.

Speaking afterwards, John Farrelly, chief executive of the authority, welcomed the judge’s decision, saying it vindicated the need for a Charities Act .

“We will continue to apply the Act without fear or favour because we absolutely want to protect the sector and the good work being done by thousands and thousands of people around Ireland”, he said.

Last week the court heard the soup kitchen fed 40 people every day. Mr Farrelly said the authority had been in touch with Sligo Social Services to ensure these people were facilitated.