Man caught holding bogus charity collection

A man received a suspended prison sentence at Galway District Court for holding a false charity collection out on the street.

The District Court heard that on December 13 of last year Gardaí saw Brian Ward, of Woodfield, Galway road, Tuam holding a charity collection for Focus Ireland on Shop Street in the city.

When Garda Mike Fox approached Ward he said that he was holding the collection for Focus, but could not show authorisation.

Gardaí contacted Focus Ireland, which said that while it had sent Mr Ward a kit for a private collection, it had not authorised any collection in public.

It was also confirmed by gardaí that he did not have a permit to hold a collection in public.

Ward (28) pleaded guilty to one count each of Acting as a Collector without authorisation and holding an Unauthorised Collection without a permit.

Judge Mary Fahy said that it was a very serious matter to take money in the name of a charity that won’t be going to it.

Gardaí said that when Mr Ward was arrested there was €41.47 in the bucket, which Judge Fahy ordered paid over to Focus Ireland.

For acting as a collector without authorisation and for holding an unauthorised collection Judge Fahy imposed a one month sentence on each to run concurrently.

The sentence was suspended in its entirety for one year.