Tuam groom gets Valentine's Day deadline — compo or prison

THERE will be no happy Valentine's for a Tuam groom if he can't come up with €3,500 to pay for toys he stole because he's been given until that date, February 14, to find the money or go to prison. Tuam Court was told the defendant in the case, Gary Ward, 68 Parkmore, Tuam, was planning to get married next year. 'Better put it off,' Judge Geoffrey Browne advised and gave him until Valentine's Day to pay up. [private] At the November 8 sitting, the Court heard Ward did a runner after getting almost €4,000 worth of toys delivered to an address in Barnaderg. He was given two weeks to come up with €4,000 in compensation but when his case was called again last week he only had €500 to offer. Ward was warned at the earlier sitting of the Court that if he didn't come up with compensation for his victim he would be getting his own Christmas presents under a prison tree this year. Judge Browne was told that Ward was unemployed and could only come up with €500 of the €4,000 compensation the Court had ordered. Judge Browne adjourned the case until February 14 for the rest of the compensation to be paid. Ward did a deal with David Martin to buy €3,970 worth of toys on June 21, 2010. He asked for the toys to be delivered to an address in Barnaderg. While in Barnaderg the victim was told by Ward that he would have to go to Athlone for payment. He drove Ward to Athlone but when they got there, Ward hopped out of his vehicle and made off. At the November 8 sitting of Tuam Court, Judge Browne demanded to know how much money Ward had in Court to offer as compensation to his victim. He was told Ward had not paid any compensation at this stage and had no money in Court to offer. The Judge said he would put the case back for a fortnight for Ward to come up with some money. He said he had had plenty of time to save and if he didn't come up with €4,000 by the next Court he would be spending Christmas in prison. Now Ward will be home for Christmas but may have to reschedule his wedding, if he can't come up with the remaining €3,500 by February 14. [/private]