“Self-confessed alcoholic” ordered to leave Jersey

Wednesday 09 January 2019

A homeless, “self-confessed alcoholic” has been ordered to leave Jersey and return to his native country after he was found “drunk and incapable” whilst sheltering from the cold in a public toilet.

Appearing in the Magistrate’s Court, Mateusz Piotr Szczerbiak (28) admitted to being “drunk and incapable” whilst he was living in a toilet block on Conway Street earlier this year.

Szczerbiak was represented by Advocate Francesca Pinel, who said her client pleaded guilty, as well as acknowledging that this incident put him in breach of a previously imposed probation order.

The 28-year-old Polish national was charged with being “drunk and incapable” after a cleaner found him “intoxicated” and lying “on the floor behind the toilet cubicle door” surrounded by numerous empty drinks bottles on the morning of 4 January. 

Pictured: A cleaner found Mateusz Piotr Szczerbiak "drunk and incapable" in a public toilet block.

The Court heard that the Police were called and Szczerbiak was “slurring his words” and that “his eyes were glazed.”

Advocate Pinel, addressing Magistrate Bridget Shaw on her client’s background, told Court that Szczerbiak moved to Jersey six years ago with his former partner and that, after the relationship broke down, he started drinking. 

She described Szczerbiak as a “self-confessed alcoholic” and explained that her client had been staying at the Shelter Trust, but that he had been barred from this accommodation on New Year’s Eve due to his drinking. 

Without anywhere else to stay, Advocate Pinel explained that Szczerbiak had resorted to sleeping in the public toilets and that “he did this because it was very cold and very wet”. She added that her client had to stop working “because of his drinking” and that “he has no money of his own”.

Pictured: The incident took place in the public toilets on Conway Street

Magistrate Shaw indicated that she would impose a binding over order – an official agreement between the defendant and the Court – for Szczerbiak to leave Jersey and not return for a period of two years. 

Speaking to Szczerbiak directly, the Magistrate said: “It seems that at present there isn’t any prospect of you dealing with your alcoholism… you’ve been on this probation order for six months and you are still drinking heavily.

“You remain homeless and… not capable of taking up work and finding accommodation… In these circumstances, I think it’s better that you go home.”

Sczczerbiak will remain in custody until arrangements are made for his return to Poland.