Eight people partied the night away at a penthouse suite in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lough Atalia and then left the next morning without paying the €4,000 bill.
Galway District Court heard this week that Gideon Osagiede (22), Flat 1, 472 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was part of the group which booked into the penthouse suite overlooking Lough Atalia, on Friday night, February 19 last.
Sergeant Finbarr Philpott, prosecuting, said the group left the next morning without paying €500 each for the €4,000-a-night penthouse suite.
Osagiede was the last to leave the penthouse and he was subsequently charged with obtaining services to the value of €500 at the hotel before making off without paying his portion of the bill. Osagiede had initially contested the charge but changed his plea to guilty in court this week.
Judge Mary Fahy expressed surprise at the cost of a one-night stay in the penthouse and she asked Sgt Philpott if the hotel had been given a credit card (for the booking) by any member of the group.
Sgt. Philpott confirmed a fraudulent credit card had been given to the hotel to book the penthouse but the accused was not charged with that offence.
Defence solicitor, Michael Cunningham, said his client was not the “brains” behind the venture and he was not the person who made the booking.
He said his client was part of a group which partied in the penthouse after a night out in Galway city.
Osagiede, he said, was the last to leave the penthouse the next morning.
“It’s incredible what’s going on, it’s just incredible,” Judge Fahy said.
Mr Cunningham said his client was doing a college course in Dublin in Sports and Leisure Management and he was currently helping his mother set up a marketing business.
Judge Fahy asked if Osagiede had his portion of the bill, which was €500, in court.
The solicitor said his client’s social welfare payments had been stopped in July but he was trying to get them back.
Sgt. Philpott said Osagiede had six previous convictions, including two for drug dealing, two for drug possession, one Public Order and one Firearms offence.
Mr Cunningham said his client had brought €150 to court and the €120 bails money he had lodged with the court already could also go towards the outstanding €500.
Judge Fahy noted the €270 amount in court and said the accused owed a further €230.
“By the way, I decide where the compensation is going and it might not necessarily be going to the Radisson.
“If they take a booking for eight people for €4,000 for one night and they can’t collect any sort of a deposit, well, it leaves a lot to be said.
“The money will go to charity and I think they will tighten up their booking facilities after this,” Judge Fahy said of the hotel.
The judge then remanded Osagiede on continuing bail to December 14 for the balance of €230 to be paid. She indicated that given his previous convictions, she had a Community Service Order in mind for the accused in lieu of a prison sentence.