Kidney recipient gets jail for repeated thefts while drunk

A man who received a kidney transplant has been handed a six-month jail sentence for persistent stealing while drunk.

Piotr Barglick pleaded guilty to a string of small thefts from supermarkets in Bandon but had already come before the courts on similar charges last year, with sentencing deferred at that time due to his health issues, including issues with his kidneys.

Bandon District Court heard that Barglick, 54, was pleading guilty to six theft charges. 

The first, from March 27 last year, was when he concealed items worth €3.78 in his pockets and left a Lidl store having paid for other items. The next, on April 1 last year, saw him take items worth €5.96 from Lidl.

Both incidents were captured on CCTV and two days later a Garda observed Mr Barglick on a street in Bandon with a backpack, which contained items from Aldi. On viewing CCTV from that store he was seen taking items worth €21.99.

Another charge related to a date in October last year when Barglick took meat worth €7. A Garda check at his property detected other items. Another incident at Dealz resulted in Barglick taking items worth €9.56.

Judge James McNulty heard that Barglick, of 15 North Main St in Bandon, had 15 previous convictions but that he had also been before the court in Bandon last year in relation to three other thefts. The judge said that at that time the court had deferred penalty on hearing of Mr Barglick’s health problems - he had received a kidney transplant and was on dialysis for a time.

His solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, told the court Mr Barglick had recently been discharged from hospital and had kidney and liver issues.

“He suffers from significant alcoholism,” Mr Taaffe said. 

"When drunk he loses the run of himself.” 

But the judge said: “His compulsion is driven by his stomach. When drunk and when he has no money, he steals.” 

Judge McNulty said that the court had previously been told that Mr Barglick was the recipient of a new kidney.

“He got the new kidney in Ireland,” he said. Referring to the donor, he added: “God bless that person.

“Ireland has been good to him,” the judge said, adding that Barglick was “not law-abiding and he is re-offending".

“I dare say he has all the benefits that are due to him.” 

The judge said Barglick was a “thieving nuisance” and sentenced him to three months in prison on the earlier pleas made to the court last June, and then another three months, to be served consecutively, on the most recent offences before the court, meaning a total of six months.

Recognisance for appeal was set at Mr Barglick’s own bond of €100.