‘Organised street beggar’ conditionally discharged at Derry court

A man described as being a part of an organised group of street beggars has been conditionally discharged at Derry Magistrate’s Court.

Ladis Sotir, 31, of no fixed abode, appeared at Derry courthouse charged with begging on Ferryquay Street on June 26.

The court heard that police were on cycle patrol when they noticed the defendant ‘sat on the ground with his hand extended asking the public for money’.

A police officer confirmed that Sotir has no criminal record in this jurisdiction.

He said police officers tried to deal with the incident on the street but the defendant had no address and ‘had to be arrested’.

The PSNI officer submitted that £58 in change was located inside a hat and £360 in Sotir’s wallet.

Police believe the defendant is part of an ‘organised’ group of beggars from Romania.

Normally, the police officer said, the individuals state they will be going back to Dublin the following day.

The court was told that the resident Magistrate Barney McElholm ‘takes a stern view’ on repeat offenders in such cases.

When an interpreter translated those comments to Sotir, he responded by saying he needed money to get plane tickets to travel back to Romania with his brother.

Deputy District Judge McStay told the defendant that initially an opportunity is given but if people fail to respond ‘it will quickly go to a severe custodial sentence’.

Defence solicitor Maoliosa Barr said he spoke to the investigating police officer who informed him that the group is ‘very loosely organised, not a gang with a Mr Big’.

“A group of them meet up themselves and decide where to go,” he added.

He acknowledged that police try to deter beggars by issuing warnings rather than taking ‘drastic action’.

Mr Barr submitted that his client is homeless and living rough in the city,

The PSNI contacted the Housing Executive on Sotir’s behalf, he added, and he has accommodation available to him.

The defence solicitor said his client intends to go back to Romania via Galway with his brother.

He reiterated, ‘it is not an organised gang where he is the principal player, he is a somewhat vulnerable man living on the streets’.

Judge McStay said the court takes a ‘serious view’ when it comes to repeated incidents of begging on the streets of Derry.

The judge was ‘astonished’ by the lengths police went to in order to assist Sotir and warned him that the court ‘will not forget you have been given many chances’.

Sotir was conditionally discharged for a period of 12 months.

Judge McStay advised the defendant that if he comes before the court in the next year he can be sentenced for this offence and any new offence.