Breaking News: A man who robbed a petrol station shop with a kitchen knife has been ordered to get a one-way ticket out of Ireland or face five years in jail.
Former soldier Pawel Witek pleaded guilty to stealing €1,040 when he held up a shopkeeper in Buncrana.
Cormac Cullen was left terrified when Witek ordered him to put cash into a bag when he held up Cullen’s Service Station in the Cockhill Road on February 11th 2013.
Witek, 30, was later arrested and admitted holding up the shop saying he was hungry and needed money to by food.
Letterkenny Circuit Court heard the accused, a Polish national, arrived in Ireland in 2005 and had worked in the building industry.
However since the downturn he had found himself homeless and with little money to buy food.
Witek has been in custody since February 14th when he was arrested.
Defence barrister Fiona Crawford said her client has previous convictions for theft but they were all to feed himself.
She said he has suffered the wrath of his mother and only now wanted to return to Poland to work and be with his family.
“He just wants a house, some food and a place to shower – a simple life,” she said.
Judge Donagh McDonagh asked Witek how long would it take him to get a one-way ticket back to Ireland.
“I don’t want any stop-offs in Germany or London – straight to Poland,” he said.
Witek said it would take a week for his family to organise this.
Judge McDonagh said that what Witek, of no fixed abode, had done was a terrible crime and he was sure that Mr Cullen suffered greatly as a result.
However he said he did not want to put the State to any more expense.
He sentenced Witek to five years in jail but suspended it for ten years if he gets a one way plane ticket to Poland and shows it to the prison governor.
“I also want him escorted to the steps of the plane. I don’t want him stopping off at any taverns along the way.
“I also want no alcohol on the plane. I don’t want any incidents over the North Sea.
“If he comes back here within ten years then he will be jailed,” said Judge McDonagh.
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