05-05-2025
Down on his luck chef caught tampering with parking meter walks free from court
Thirty-four-year-old Ferencz Nagy, of Phibsborough, Dublin 7 pleaded guilty at a sitting of Mullingar District Court
A down on his luck chef who was caught tampering with a local authority parking meter in a midlands town late at night has walked free from court.
Thirty-four-year-old Ferencz Nagy, Peter McVerry Trust, New Cabra Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7 pleaded guilty at a sitting of Mullingar District Court to causing criminal damage to a pay and display parking machine belonging to Westmeath County Council at Church Avenue, Mullingar, Westmeath on April 30, 2023.
Nagy, the court heard, had been part of a three man gang who had been spotted 'interfering and damaging' the meter shortly after 11pm.
Qualified chef Ferencz Nagy had "fallen on hard times" which culminated in his involvement in an incident that saw him and two other men attempt to interfere with a Westmeath County Council owned pay and display parking meter.
Sgt Sheila Kenny, for the State, told of how Nagy together with his two accomplices were arrested a short time later after the trio had initially fled the scene.
Judge Peter White was informed Nagy's involvement in the episode caused €200 worth of damage as a result. Andrea Callan BL, in defence, revealed her client was a qualified chef who had, up until recently, 'fallen on harder times'.
She said those challenges had been aggravated by a 'very significant' alcohol addiction which had left him effectively penniless and homeless.
In terms of his involvement in the criminal damage incident, Ms Callan insisted Nagy had played more of a bystander role than that of a 'participant participant' in the escapade.
'He was there and if the matter is being dealt with as a joint enterprise, he accepts what he did was wrong,' she said.
Ferencz Nagy was handed down the Probation Act by Judge Peter White.
Ms Callan added that while Nagy's work history was undeniable, his own personal circumstances had 'deteriorated significantly' in the last 12 months to such an extent that he had also picked up a bench warrant for failing to turn up in court on February 14 this year.
She said that no-show had been fuelled by her client's lifestyle which had now 'degenerated into something chaotic' to such an extent he was no longer able to 'keep track of himself'.
Ferencz Nagy outside Mullingar Courthouse.
Judge White, in having listened to those remarks said the court was cognisant to how Nagy had 'fallen on hard times,' with the incident also coming at time when he had no previous convictions to his name.
He subsequently applied section 1 (1) of the Probation Act and took the section 13 bench warrant 'into consideration'.
