Suspended term for woman arrested in organised begging racket

Galway City Tribune – A woman claimed she left her five children in Romania to come to work in Ireland, but was instead found begging in Galway a week after she arrived in the country.

Sonia Ispir (40), of no fixed abode, and Dublin 1, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court to obstructing the passage of pedestrians while begging at Quay Street on December 4.

Defence barrister, Garry MacDonald, said the woman had five children who were in Romania and she had been brought over to Ireland by others to work.

Judge Mary Fahy said the woman was down from Dublin and was part of a group, some of whom were in court watching proceedings.

A man with some gold teeth stood beside the woman during the brief hearing.

Mr MacDonald said his client was “very low down on the ladder”, and was being used and told what to do by others.

“The group is so big, no one knows where anyone is ‘on the ladder’. It’s an ongoing racket, we all know that,” Judge Fahy replied.

The barrister said the woman had a ticket to return to Romania and would undertake to stay away from Galway in the meantime.

“She seems to be the victim here,” he added.

Judge Fahy said the minimum requirement was for the woman to provide an address but Mr MacDonald said she had no fixed abode.

Judge Fahy sentenced the woman to one month in prison, which she suspended for 12 months on condition she be of good behaviour and not reoffend, and stay away from Galway City and country for the next 12 months.

Reading a statement of means, handed into court, for the purposes of obtaining free legal aid, Judge Fahy said that “these forms are fictitious.

“She says she is supporting five children.  What is she supporting them on if they are in Romania and she is here begging?

“She is not supporting them. Isn’t that the truth?”

The judge warned the woman that if she re-offended, she would be brought back before the court and the suspended sentence would be activated. She then granted free legal aid.