Polish defendant accused of racism

A judge has accused a Polish defendant of racism against Irish people. Judge Bernie Kelly made the accusation in Omagh Magistrates Court when sentencing Wieslaw Muszelik for driving while disqualified, and with no insurance.

Judge Kelly said she was fed up with people “who assume that we, as a race of people, are stupid. Now, I can't stand racism in any form. And, contrary to public opinion, it is possible to be racist against us. That's the only conclusion I can draw.”

Muszelik pleaded guilty to the charges through an interpreter. Police had stopped him while driving, three months after Judge Kelly had disqualified him at Omagh Magistrates Court. She sentenced 53 year old Muszelik of Killybrack Close, Omagh, to two months imprisonment, and invoked an earlier two-month suspended sentence. The sentences are to run consecutively. She released Muszelik on bail, pending appear.

(An edited version of this piece was published in the Irish Daily Star of September 12th)