Defendant slammed in court for not having Covid jabs

Wearing an oxygen mask and appearing at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court by videolink from his home, 37-year-old Marius Vitasas admitted stealing £5,880 of the German herbal spirit Jägermeister from Morgan McLernon, the haulage firm based in Lurgan, on September 23, 2019.

However, when the judge heard that Vitasas had been diagnosed with long Covid, and by “personal choice” had declined to be vaccinated, she launched into a five-minute-long episode of criticism.

“It is absolutely disgraceful that you would be that foolish not to want, for your fellow human man,

the help of being protected against a life-threatening illness,” the judge said.

The son of the defendant was acting as an interpreter during the proceedings.

The judge said: “There is no such thing as personal choice when what you do can kill another human being – do you understand that?”

She further asked: “So you are quite happy to kill another human being for personal choice?”

“No,” said the son.

The judge replied: “Oh yes, that’s what you have thought – you are quite happy to kill any other human being that you come across.”

Defence solicitor Richard Monteith tried to intervene.

He suggested to district judge Kelly: “I think you do need to maybe focus your worship, honestly, with respect.”

But the judge was not to be diverted.

he judge told the senior solicitor that, apart from the element of dishonesty involved in the theft, “he thought he was entitled to help himself to this large volume of alcohol, regardless of who he deprived of it...

“And obviously part of my decision making process is to determine what risk he presents in terms of further offending going forward.

“This offence was in 2019 and there’s been nothing since.

“But then I look at a man who has decided that it’s ok to kill anybody around him with Covid rather than get the vaccine because of personal choice.

“It’s part and parcel of the same attitude.”

Mr Monteith highlighted that those vaccinated can still contract Covid.

But the judge said there was clear evidence that anyone fully vaccinated was less likely to need hospital treatment.

“This man believes it’s ok for him to have freedom of choice of a bed over cancer patients, transplant patients and – dare I say it – over children’s cancer patients.

“They’re entitled to a bed before everybody else, and that’s the bit that I strongly object to.”

Having heard that Vitasas was working for Morgan McLernon at the time, DJ Kelly said that despite the fact he had made full restitution for his crime, given the breach of trust involved in the theft a jail sentence was inevitable.

However, she said that she would adjourn passing sentence for a full medical report on Vitasas’ prognosis, because while he is having oxygen at the minute, “he won’t be on that forever”.

“I will do Maghaberry the honour of not having to deal with someone who foolishly chooses not to cover himself,” said the judge.