A plea by a man that he should not spend his third successive Christmas in jail was successful at a District Court yesterday. Judge William Early allowed Richard Delacour (20), of Sarsfield Terrace, Youghal, Co Cork, to spend Christmas with his girlfriend and family.
Delacour admitted two charges of criminal damage while drunk.
The court heard that he smashed a window at the Moby Dick's bar, Market Square, Youghal, on August 7th and also a window at a charity shop, causing damage of £450, on August 23rd.
Mr Keane said Delacour had previous convictions and had spent the previous two Christmases in jail.
Judge Early remanded him to January 22nd for reports on the first charge, and on the second he remanded him to April 23rd for £450 compensation to be paid, stating that if reports were favourable and if the defendant had given up drink, he would grant a further remand of six months and then impose a suspended jail sentence.