A DISTRICT court judge has pointed out that Ireland being part of the EU also means we are "obliged" allow people with murder convictions into our country.

"Isn't the whole system just wrong?" asked Judge Michael Pattwell on hearing that a Lithuanian man who appeared before him on a charge of theft of drink in Mallow had served just three years in prison in Lithuania for murder.

At Mallow District Court the man, via an interpreter, stringently denied he had murdered anyone but Inspector Senan Ryan said fingerprint evidence had also been forwarded on by Interpol. He said in 1999 the man had been sentenced to prison for murder but was released on September 5, 2003.

The man also had three charges of theft in Lithuania in 1997, and one charge of criminal damage to property in 1996.

"Now we are obliged to take people with murder convictions into our jurisdictions because we are part of the EU. It is a bad state of affairs, and isn't the whole system just wrong," said the judge.

In Mallow, the man was charged with the theft of 12 bottles of alcohol from Dano's SuperValu, Bellvue, Mallow on November 26 last — a crime Judge Pattwell has seen numerous instances of in recent times.

"This was not a once off theft, this was 12 bottles. This was intended for some market somewhere," said the judge.

While defending solicitor Charlie O'Connor said there was no evidence of that the judge responded "isn't it obvious", giving a one month sentence.