Man damaged hotel staff cars after being asked to leave

A disgruntled patron was captured on CCTV cameras kicking cars which belonged to hotel staff who had earlier asked him and his partner to leave the hotel’s bar.

Olaf Ramberg (53), with addresses in Riveroaks, Claregalway and Ard an Gaoithe, Knocknacarra, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court to causing €700 worth of damage to one car and €450 damage to the other in the car park at the Arches Hotel, Claregalway on August 3 last year. The court heard the hotel manager noticed a dent on the side of his car while another employee’s car was also damaged in similar fashion.

They viewed CCTV footage from the hotel’s car park and spotted Ramberg kicking both cars. Staff had earlier asked him to leave the bar as they felt he and his partner had consumed enough alcohol.

Defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor said her client had no previous convictions and, from reading letters which had been handed into court from the injured parties, it would appear that if the money had been paid for the damage, the matter would not have come before the court.

She said Ramberg had been out with his partner and a lot of alcohol had been consumed on the night. She explained that he had owned his own business at one point but he was currently in receipt of social welfare and looking for work.  She said he was paying €100 a week for a room in a house but had managed to bring €100 to court to offer as part compensation for the damage.

Judge Marie Keane said she could not ignore the fact that there were two injured parties involved.

“And I’m not at all impressed that nearly a year to the date of this offence has passed and all you have is €100 here today.  It doesn’t demonstrate someone who is taking this matter seriously,” the judge said to Ramberg.

She noted that while €100 was being paid now, there was still a sum of €1,050 outstanding and she adjourned sentence to December 17 for that to be paid over.

“You need to shape up. This is ridiculous nonsense,” she warned him.

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