“I didn’t have time to pay for cans of beer” — Defence heard in Kildare court

A Naas District Court defendant said that he 'didn't have time' to pay for the beer he shoplifted.

The man made the comments when he appeared before Judge Desmond Zaidan in court on Thursday, June 13 last.

The judge was told by gardaí that the man shoplifted a number of cans of beer from a shop located in County Kildare last year.

He pleaded guilty to the offence.

An interpreter was appointed for the man, as he was a foreign national with little English, and he was also assisted by defending solicitor Brian Larkin.

When Judge Zaidan asked the man why he stole the cans, the interpreter put the question to him in his native language.

The man was seen speaking to the interpreter, and in turn, the interpreter was seen translating his answer into English for Mr Larkin, who appeared surprised by the man’s answer.

After listening to the translation, Mr Larkin told the judge: "I think there may be a translation issue here…"

When the question was put to the interpreter, she replied that the man said: "I didn’t have time to pay for the beer."

Gardaí said that the man has no previous convictions, and has not come to garda attention since the incident.

Judge Zaidan decided to apply the Probation Act on the man’s case.