A bogus charity collector from Tralee who called to houses in West Cork has been handed a suspended sentence.
John Burke of Rathoonane, Monavalley appeared for sentencing before Judge James McNulty at Bantry District Court.
The 22-year-old had been pretending to raise funds for Trócaire.
He had previously appeared before the judge in March when he was granted bail after he pleaded guilty to holding a collection without a proper permit.
The court heard that John Burke had been collecting money at The Mills estate in Skibbereen on July 4th last year; he had been carrying a Trócaire box and identifying himself with a false ID card.
On the same day the Tralee man was stopped while driving nearby and found to have no insurance or tax disc displayed as well as a bald tyre.
Inspector Emmet Daly told the court that Mr Burke had collected €154 in cash through the bogus collection which Judge James McNulty ordered to be donated to St Vincent de Paul in Skibbereen.
The judge said that a report prepared by the Probation Service indicated that Mr Burke had addiction issues that needed to be addressed and that he was also beginning to show a pattern of offending that targeted vulnerable people.
He sentenced Mr Burke to four months in prison, suspended for two years. The sentence was suspended on condition that he keeps the peace and be of good behaviour, and engages fully with the Probation Service. He was also ordered to undergo Probation Service supervision for one year.
