Claddagh ring thief issues letter of apology to Longford victim

Michal Milenko (51), No fixed abode, Tallaght, Dublin 24, had previously pleaded guilty to stealing the ring, valued at €150 from his victim at Market Bar, 1 Ballymahon Street, Longford on August 29 2019.

Mr Milenko, who was brought before last week's sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court in front of Judge Keenan Johnson, read out a letter of apology through an interpreter.

He had appeared at a court sitting the week previously and remanded in custody for the purposes of a welfare and probation report.

“I am very sorry,” he said.

“I am asking for forgiveness. I am willing to pay €700 compensation and again I apologise and I feel very ashamed.”

Mr Milenko told the court how the past number of days had allowed him to reflect on his actions.

“During my stay in prison I was thinking about everything I have done and I said to myself I do not want to go through this ever again in the future.”

Judge Johnson described the incident as a a particularly “nasty offence” and intimated his preference to remand Mr Milenko in custody in order to allow a probation report to be furnished to the court.

He consequently remanded Mr Milenko in custody to a sitting of Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court on November 13, subject to to the expediting of a probation report.