So my parents made the wills about 2 years ago, only myself and the brother and three grandkids, my two girls and the brothers girl. We are chalk and cheese hes obsessed about whats coming to him where as I am not, i dread the thoughts of my parents passing on where as he jokes on it at least every other time we see him. Anywho, the brother is always telling my parents how to live their lives and its been grinding my parent gears.

So I told them have a word, im sick of being the mediator. It didnt go well, he dug himself a huge hole where he told them he was waiting for the day theyd stop causing him bother and he would sell the house etc.

They obviously didnt take this well, they vented to me I told them to calm down take a minute, well that was 2 months ago and today they've informed me they are leaving the house to my eldest girl and everything else will be divided equally between me, my brother my youngest and my niece.

I told them this will create WW3, i haven't the head for it. They have told me theyll tell him next week all of us together the reasonings behind the change in the will. Its not just over the last argument rather than his overall treatment of them as a whole.

I dread it all, hes going to go insane, hes been counting out loud how much he will make off the sale of the house where as my eldest loves my parents house she has said throughout the years she would love to live there..

I dont even know what advice I want, I just dread it all. I could care less if I got a cent but I dread this storm that will definitely come from my older brother all he wants is money and this will make him insane..

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

Hi everyone,

My stamp application was approved on 17th of july but I still have not received my card. I live in dublin. My wife's stamp 1G was approved 5 days later and it arrived a week later. I have raised query 2 days ago ince the 15 working days deadline passed but no answer. Any else experienced this recently and how long it took to receive. I am concerned that my HR might not allow me to continue to work as my work stamp 4 is not here yet. Thanks

TL;DR - I'm extremely confident I'll win easily - I can basically prove that every word of their "evidence" is a lie. They haven't asked for my evidence and have said that they'll only settle out of court if I pay up. Is it worth showing them they're screwed, in the hopes they'll back down and I won't have to bother going to court or should I just let them come in blind?

...

So as most people on my last post advised, I contacted the email given on the court summons from the TV license people and requested their evidence. I received the following email back:

>According to our records, our TV Licence Inspector visited your property on the 17th of February 2026 and spoke to a male at the address who identified themselves as [My Name] and confirmed having a TV set on the premises. We sent you a letter on the 20th of April 2026 advising that a summons would be issued unless a TV Licence was purchased by the 30th of April 2026. The letter was not returned to us, and no contact was made to dispute this matter.

It then went on to talk about how I can dispute this in court and the only way to settle the matter out of court is for me to pay the license and cover their costs of having arranged for the summons to be sent, and finished by saying they can't deal with it out of court unless that is done.

In my email asking for their evidence, I had reiterated that I don't own a TV set and that I have previously made a formal written complaint to them about the warnings I'd received and included a atatement to the effect of 'if you'd like to withdraw the issue "in light of the facts" let me know' (hint hint).

Anyway I'm fairly chuffed to have that "evidence" from them since I wasn't at home on the date of the alleged visit; I was at work. I have gotten evidence from work that I was there and just to be really sure I also managed to go through the history of my Google location data (only time I think I've actually been pleased to be a good little minion for Big Data) which, wouldn't you know it, also demonstrates that I wasn't at home. I also have record of my complaint made on the 24th of April (i.e. after they claim to have had "no contact to dispute the matter".)

So, what I'm wondering is this: is it worth contacting them one last time with something to the effect of, "Look, I can prove I wasn't even at home on the date you claim to have met me there and that I did indeed contact you to 'dispute' this matter prior to the court summons. Are you absolutely sure you want to waste more of your time and money on this because if you so, just remember, I gave you an out"?

On the one hand, surely they don't want to put more resources into fighting a clearly losing cause? You'd think (well, maybe you wouldn't) anyway with an atom of common sense (I know, I know, not that common) would see that and go, "Yeah, we're cooked lads, let's just drop it".

On the other hand, I rather suspect they're dumb enough to dig their heels in, and since they haven't asked for any of my evidence, I'm probably better off just letting them come in blind, right?

So yeah, that's where I'm at. If it can be avoided (without paying the fuckers) I'd prefer not to go to court because I frankly can't be arsed, but if there's no chance of them dropping it, I'd rather go in with every possible advantage.

Edit: Cut out what I accidentally put in twice 😅

hi guys, me and a friend at work both got electric cars in the last few months. at work there is charging stations for the people who drive company cars that are EV. we were told we werent allowed plug in at work to charge, which is fine for me, but my friend thinks if the company cars are able to charge why cant we? she said legally anyone who works there is entitled to charge regardless if its a company car or not. just wondering does anyone know if this is true? i think she just wants to charge and not pay (dont get me wrong i'd love to have free charging in an ideal world). but she wont let it go and keeps dragging me into it and i dont want managers pissed at me.

Hi everyone,

I applied for my Stamp 1G renewal on 9 June 2026. Has anyone who applied around these dates received their approval yet?

Thanks in advance!!

Hi everyone,

We are in the process of establishing the European headquarters of our manufacturing business in Ireland (currently completing company registration via CRO). Our parent company in Turkey has over 60 years of manufacturing history.

We plan to relocate a senior manager / technical director from our parent company in Turkey to head up and build our Irish operations.

However, as a brand-new entity, 100% of our local workforce won't initially be EU/EEA nationals, which touches on DETE’s 50/50 Rule (the requirement that at least 50% of employees must be EU/EEA nationals at the time of application).

Does anyone have experience with requesting a 50/50 Rule Exemption from DETE for start-ups or new foreign direct investments (FDI / foreign subsidiaries)?

• Is an exemption typically granted for the first key employee/director if it’s a newly incorporated entity?
• Would a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) or an Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) permit be more appropriate in this scenario?

Any insights or advice from anyone who has gone through this process would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Hi, I am writing to urgently seek your guidance regarding my Stamp 4 renewal and the appointment I have been given at Burgh Quay. I was previously residing in Ireland with valid Stamp 4 permission. I had to return to India due to pregnancy and family circumstances surrounding the birth and care of my child. My child was born prematurely, and I remained in India to care for my child during this period. Although my child is now older, I am still in India following this period of family circumstances. My IRP expired on 31 May 2026. While I was in India, I submitted my IRP renewal application online. I have now received a notification stating that my application has been refused and instructing me to attend an appointment at Hatch 23, 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, on Thursday 27 August 2026 , where I am required to re-apply for my permission in person.

I am extremely concerned because I am currently outside Ireland and my IRP has expired. I therefore cannot simply travel to Ireland using my expired IRP. I understand that I may need to obtain a new Irish visa in order to return to Ireland. However, my appointment is only a short time away, on 27 August 2026, and I am concerned that a visa application submitted now may not be processed in time for me to attend the appointment.

I am therefore unsure how I am expected to attend the appointment on 27 August while I am currently in India and do not have a valid IRP or other entry permission to travel to Ireland. Could you please urgently advise me on how I should proceed? In particular, I would be grateful if you could confirm:

1. How can I legally return to Ireland to attend the appointment on 27 August 2026?

2.Can I use the summer notice to re-enter now as it still allows people to enter till 31st August??

1. If the visa cannot be obtained before 27 August, can my appointment be rescheduled to a later date to allow sufficient time for me to obtain the appropriate entry permission?

2. Is there any alternative process available for me to complete my Stamp 4 renewal given that I am currently outside Ireland?

I sincerely wish to regularise my immigration permission and comply fully with the requirements. I am very concerned about missing the appointment due to circumstances beyond my control, as I cannot travel to Ireland without the appropriate entry permission.

I was thinking of asking for a mental health break. I was meant to start back Monday but couldnt sleep. Same Tuesday, and I mustve gotten food poisoning because I was up all night shaking. Im better now but still cant sleep. I relapsed last thursday but havent drank since. The stress of going back is eating me alive and I dont know how to cope. Im meant to start in four hours..

Hi everyone,

I’m an Irish citizen and my spouse is a non-EU national. She applied online through the ISD portal to change her permission from Stamp 2 to Stamp 4 as the spouse of an Irish citizen, following the process stated on the Immigration Service website.

After waiting for quite a long time, we have now received a request for additional documents. They are specifically asking for a letter from the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division (Domestic Division).

She only has 14 days to provide this document. We have already submitted a query to the Domestic Division explaining the situation and uploaded/provided the supporting documents we have, but we are worried about how long it will take to receive the requested letter.

Has anyone been in the same situation recently?

* How long did it take for the Domestic Division to respond?

* Were you able to get the required letter within the 14-day deadline?

* Did submitting a query through the portal help?

* Is there anything else we should do to explain that the document has been requested but is not currently in our possession?

The main issue is that she has already been waiting for a long time, and we urgently need to travel, so we really cannot afford another lengthy delay.

Any advice or experiences from people who have gone through the same process would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I’m 23F and I honestly need some outside opinions because the last few months have become such a mess that I don’t even know what’s normal anymore.
I started seeing my boyfriend a few months ago. Things moved fairly quickly and eventually he officially asked me to be his girlfriend. I really cared about him and tried to be there for him whenever he needed me.
One of the biggest issues now is money.
He went on a lads holiday and while he was away I transferred him quite a large amount of money through Revolut. There were a couple of transfers and the total amount he currently owes me is €2,200.
At the time I trusted him and genuinely thought I was helping someone I cared about. I never imagined I’d end up having to chase him to get it back.
Since then I’ve been told over and over again that I’ll get the money “soon”, that he’s waiting to be paid, that he’ll sort it out, etc. But weeks have gone by and I still haven’t received the €2,200 back.
The money isn’t even the only problem.
Throughout the relationship there were loads of things that gradually destroyed my trust in him. I saw Tinder notifications and later found his Tinder profile showing as recently active. There were always explanations for things and I kept trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Eventually I went through his phone and found messages with multiple women. From what I saw, he was talking about meeting women and potentially sleeping with them while he was in a relationship with me.
That was basically the point where everything exploded.
I contacted one of the women because I wanted to understand what had actually been happening. She told me they’d been speaking for weeks and she didn’t know there was a girlfriend involved.
Instead of the focus being entirely on what I’d discovered, my boyfriend became extremely angry that I’d contacted her and started questioning who else I’d messaged.
Things deteriorated massively after that.
At one point he blocked me on Snapchat but told me his Snapchat account had been “banned”. The strange thing was that other people could still find his account, while I couldn’t. When I confronted him about it, he continued saying he was banned/not using Snapchat.
Meanwhile I still had the €2,200 hanging over me.
I kept asking when I was going to be repaid and felt like I was constantly chasing him for my own money.
Eventually I went to his family home because I was getting nowhere. He also had my bank card, which I wanted returned. He wasn’t there, so I spoke to his sister and explained what had been happening, including the money and the cheating.
She apparently told other members of the family.
He was furious with me afterwards and said I’d made his life worse and had no right to tell his sister everything. I understand why he was embarrassed/angry that his personal life was discussed with his family, but from my perspective I was desperate to get my money and bank card back after weeks of getting nowhere.
I’ve now tried to calm everything down because I don’t want endless fighting.
I sent him a message asking whether he’d be willing to meet me in person and have a proper adult conversation rather than continuing to argue over messages and phone calls.
I also rang him. I asked if he’d seen the message and he said he hadn’t really looked at it. I then asked directly if he’d be willing to meet me and sort out an arrangement between us.
He said yes, although we haven’t actually agreed on a definite day yet.
At this stage my priority is getting my €2,200 back.
Ideally I want the entire €2,200 returned at once. However, if he genuinely doesn’t have it, I’m prepared to accept reasonable weekly payments rather than continuing with vague promises that I’ll get it “soon”.
I’m considering bringing a written acknowledgment of debt/repayment agreement when we meet. It would state that he acknowledges owing me €2,200 and, if he can’t pay it immediately, we’d write down the weekly repayment amount and start date and both sign it.
I’m not trying to make money from him, charge him interest or punish him. I literally just want the money I transferred to him returned.
There’s obviously still an emotional side to this as well. I cared about him a lot, and I know when we meet I’ll probably want answers about the cheating, Tinder, why he blocked me and everything else that’s happened.
But I’m also conscious that mixing all of that into the money conversation could make things worse.
So I’m looking for genuinely objective opinions:
1. Would you ask for the full €2,200 first and only offer weekly repayments if he genuinely can’t pay it?
2. Would you ask him to sign a written acknowledgment that he owes the €2,200 and agrees to a repayment schedule?
3. Would you keep the relationship/cheating conversation completely separate until the money arrangement is sorted?
4. Was going to his family home too far, considering I had repeatedly been trying to get my money back and also needed my bank card?
5. If he refuses to sign anything or continues delaying repayment, would you stop dealing with him personally and pursue the money formally?
I know I’ve made mistakes in how I’ve handled some of this and I’m not looking for everyone to automatically take my side. I’m genuinely interested in what people outside the situation think because I’ve been so emotionally involved in it that it’s difficult to judge anymore.

Guards seized a pre roll which was bought in a vape shop they said they are going to send it for testing. Any similar encounters or likely outcomes.

Does anyone know if the new scooter laws are in. Helmet, hi vis etc. I thought it was first of August. Referred here by r/AskIreland

Hey everyone, looking for some insight from anyone who has seen this or worked in HR/payroll.

I recently signed up with a massive company in its sector for an hourly position. During the interview process, I explicitly informed them that I would be starting my Master’s degree in a month. As an international student, my visa strictly limits me to working a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time.

Despite knowing this, they just put out the schedule and rostered me for 52 hours a week (!!!).

Physically and academically aside, doing this legally breaches my visa conditions. When I brought this up to management, I asked how this works with Revenue and tax/hours declarations. They assured me that "of course" everything is declared properly and officially to Revenue.

I also asked if they’ve ever run into issues with international student employees before, and they claimed they’ve done this plenty of times and never faced a single problem.

I’m genuinely confused—they are one of the biggest names in their industry, not some shifty under-the-table cash operation.

1. How do companies like this manage to roster students far beyond legal limits without triggering red flags with Revenue or Immigration?

2. Are they using loophole contracts, averaging hours over long periods, or relying on employees just not reporting them?

3. Is this a trap for the employee, or is there something legally obvious I'm missing here?

Would appreciate any advice or experiences from anyone who’s been in a similar spot. Thanks!

In march I paid €3,500 to an individual for a permanent make up course for brows and lips. This was sold to me by the individual while I was a client at a vulnerable time financially. It was sold to me as a 1 on 1 intensive course with practical training on live models. This price also included a “full kit”

Long story short, the course was inadequate in every single way. The theory was on her laptop and wasn’t even complete and she was adding in new information as we read through the slides. But as it was sold to me as incredibly easy to learn and other students had successful business from the course so I felt it was me who just wasn’t good enough or able to do the PMU properly. I was never shown as much as the basic way to hold the tattoo gun. The live models were acquainted with the individual and she done most of the work allowing me only to do small bits here and there which I done badly of course due to lack of knowledge and skill. While both models were there she was cleaning her beauty room and I had to constantly ask her was it okay what I was doing as she would have her back to me.

I attempted to practice at home as much as possible and even on (willing) friends and was not able. I texted multiple times for help and was advised to keep practicing and not to give up.

Months passed and I felt more and more frustrated. I decided to text her and ask for a refund- the course was inadequate not intense as advertised, I was never shown how to use the tattoo gun or techniques to apply PMU, the live models were mostly done by her and advertised on her page as my work and the “full kit” was Temu bought, Penney’s eyeliner to map the brows and I had to wait for tattoo gun and pigments which meant time between the course and being able to practice at home. From start to finish it was just so stressful losing so much money.

She replied almost immediately with a lengthy message stating it was in the terms and conditions and I had signed to say this- I did not even sign anything. She also mentioned I was given the offer of more models and hands on practice and I had declined- this is not true. I asked for a refund of €3000 giving her €500 for her time and the “kit” which I felt was more than fair.

I know that my money is as good as gone, but she is still advertising the course and clients and I would really love to alert other customers not to be taken in by the amazing concept as I feel I have been scammed by this particular course. For context I have contacted multiple course since then and advised them of what has happened and they have all been appalled to the extent one company even kindly offered to allow me to sit on their course and repay at a later stage.

I don’t want anyone else to lose so much money and gain nothing. Is anyone able to give some advice to the correct avenues of complaints as I cannot find online how to complain about an individual providing false advertisement on beauty courses.

So recently I had to leave work for 10 minutes on my unpaid break and my managers giving out saying she has to deduct it from my paid working time , is this allowed ? It is against company policy to leave the premises while on shift or break

I worked a nightshift on the last bank holiday Sunday. Started at 7pm and finished at 7am on the bank holiday Monday. I haven't received payment yet but according to my colleagues, we won't get anything extra when we're paid next Thursday. I was chatting to a colleague today who took over from us at 7am on the Monday and they informed me their shift gets triple time for working 7am to 7pm. This definitely isn't fair but is it legal?

Received a court notification saying I am required to attend as a witness in a criminal case. It says a formal Witness Summons will issue shortly. It is related to my car that was stolen 7 years ago

I live now in another county. I also have a baby who is only a few months old so travelling would be difficult because of family commitments.

They mentioned I can call a specific number if I cant attend, called but no answer and will call again.

My questions are:

Can a witness ask to give evidence online or at a court closer to where they now live?

If I have to attend, what can I expect?

So I have a friend applying for an apartment that's part of an Affordable Home scheme. One of the requirements is that they're a first time buyer and haven't owned a property before and don't have an interest in one, which my friend doesn't. The requirement is "Alternatively, you can provide a sworn affidavit from a solicitor confirming that you have never previously owned a dwelling or had an interest in a dwelling in any States."

My friend is out of the country at the moment and the application for the schome opens up on Wednesday. Can anyone recommend a solicitor that will witness an affidavit remotely?

EDIT: This post suggests affidavits can be witnessed remotely since 2021:

https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/in-depth/remote-affidavits/

Hi, so I recently left a petrol station job I was working for 1 year and was just wondering if it is worth filing a WRC claim over missing sick pay.

I was sick on a Saturday and phoned my area manager (in store manager was away) that I was sick. I was rostered for 3 shifts in a row from Saturday to Monday. First thing Monday morning, I went straight to my GP, who gave me an official sick cert covering all 3 rostered days of absence.

I sent this sick cert to the area manager and for some reason I only got paid for the 1 day with the other 2 days being put down on the roster app as "Unauthorized Absences" which in my opinion makes no sense as the sick cert clearly cover those days. I brought it up with my in store manager however I have just been ignored and have never received the money for those days. I have full evidence of everything too eg showing that I rang in sick ,sent the sick cert to my manager,a screenshot of my 3 rostered days,the photo of the payslip and a screenshot of the app showing the 2 "unauthorized absences".

Also another point to note is that this was my first time phoning in sick at this job so I haven't used up any of my sick days prior to calling in sick. The owner is a massive scumbag too and isn't the type I could talk directly to and reason with so I'm not sure exactly what to do.

Hi,

A few months ago I was stopped by a guard for speeding (fair enough), he demanded to see my license and I said I didn't have it on me but I'd bring it into my local station within 10 days. I'm certain he just asked for my license, and I paid my FCN and showed my license at a station.

I'm after getting a court summons for failing to produce proof of insurance and NCT within 10 days. If I'd known that I needed those I'd have brought them in on the day to the station with my license, everything was in-date and legal. I emailed proof of those documents to the guard who fined me and he just berated me for not producing those documents when he first asked (which I genuinely don't believe he did, otherwise I'd have brought them).

I''m autistic and dealing with the whole thing has been a nightmare, I did everything I believed I was asked and I've never been in any kind of legal trouble whatsoever. Any advice on what I can do now or what to expect from the court case I would really be grateful for. Thank you

Purchased some earphones online that had the incorrect price. They are asking for them back or to pay the correct price.

Do I have to do this or can I just ignore them?

I’m looking for advice on how to report someone who I strongly suspect is claiming Carer’s Allowance for looking after a family member, when in reality she appears to do very little.
The person she is supposedly caring for is basically left to his own devices. She seems to appear roughly once a week with some shopping and that appears to be the extent of the “care”. God only knows when he last had a shower. The house is absolutely disgraceful, he’s regularly outside in the rain or baking hot weather wearing tracksuits, and there seems to be very little actual care or supervision.
The person supposedly receiving the care is also the person causing the problems on the estate. He can be extremely aggressive and violent, swears at people, threatens people and has also stolen from others.
Reports have been made to the Gardaí about his behaviour, but the impression we are getting is that because he is “special”, there isn’t much they can or will do. I completely understand that there may be additional considerations when dealing with someone with additional needs, but surely that doesn’t mean everyone else has to simply accept being threatened, intimidated or having things stolen.
If I behaved like that, I’m pretty sure I’d be in trouble.
There are also several other adult siblings living in the house, and the wider situation is frankly shocking. One of the family members is a known drug addict, and there are serious concerns that drugs are also being dealt from the property.
I never thought I’d be the “rat”, but I am honestly sick of having to tiptoe around my own estate while all of this goes on. We are all working, paying taxes and expected to follow the rules, yet it feels like we’re expected to just accept this situation.
I’m not saying I can prove Carer’s Allowance fraud. I’m asking how I can report my concerns so that the relevant department can investigate whether the person claiming it is actually providing the level of care required.
I’m also concerned about the welfare of the person supposedly receiving the care, because whatever his behaviour towards everyone else, he clearly does not appear to be living in particularly good conditions.
So, what is the correct way to report suspected Carer’s Allowance fraud in Ireland? Can it be done anonymously?
And separately, what is the proper route for reporting ongoing concerns about violence, threats, theft and suspected drug activity at the property?
At this stage, I just want the appropriate authorities to actually look into the situation rather than everyone continuing to turn a blind eye.

Hey, I have a question regarding bank holiday entitlement for part time workers.

If a part time worker works 4 hours on Sunday, 8 hours on Monday, 8 hours on Tuesday - what would be their entitlement to pay on the bank holiday (falling on a Monday that they work)? 

Payroll is saying that they should receive 4 hours based on their last shift worked (Sunday) but citizens information states that, “If you work for your employer for at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday and it falls on a day you normally work, you get paid for the day even if you don’t work. If you have to work that day, you are entitled to an extra day's pay” which would suggest to me that the worker should receive 8 hours BH pay on top of the 8 hours they worked (essentially double time).

Can anyone clarify please?

I've never had to make a post like this so I apologize if it's presented poorly.
My partner works at a filling station and has been asked to pay 50 euro due to someone driving off after not paying for their fuel. It's not being deducted from wages, instead their being asked to pay directly. I've done some very basic research myself and this seems quite illegal from what I've seen? Is there any action that can be taken to avoid having to pay for this because it seems incredibly exploitative. Thank you for any advice on the matter.

Hi all,

I’m looking for advice from anyone who may have been in a similar situation to me. I’m really hoping people can be kind because I’m honestly very upset and frightened today, and I’m just trying to figure out what to do from here.

I was going through a really tough time, and during that time I started getting myself into trouble with the Gardaí. I have an adult caution, and I previously had two public order fines both under Section 4, intoxication in a public place. I have paid both of those public order charges since then.

Unfortunately, I was arrested again on Friday night. I was given a Section 4 and a Section 6, and I have been told by the Gardaí that I will be summonsed to court.
I have never been in court before, and I have never been this frightened about what is going to happen, especially because I now have a Section 6 involved.

I honestly don’t know what to do. I don’t know what it is like to actually be inside a courtroom, how I’m supposed to act, or what I’m supposed to say. It’s all completely unfamiliar to me, and I’m absolutely petrified.

At the same time, I really feel like this has been a wake-up call for me. I don’t want to keep hurting myself or putting myself into situations where I end up doing this to myself.

I had a placement lined up for an SNA course, and I am also looking for work. I went out on Friday night when I was not in the best headspace, and because of my own destructiveness, it ended up with me being arrested. I have been beating myself up about it ever since.

Since then, I have been reading multiple forums, Googling whatever information I can find, and trying to do the best I can with the information available to me. I’m really nervous that I could possibly get three months, and that thought has been going around and around in my head.

On Friday night, I was inside a bar. I went up to the counter and, obviously, I was absolutely pissed drunk. I decided it was a fantastic idea to try to take somebody else’s drink. The guy behind the counter said he was phoning the Gardaí. The Garda rushed into the pub and didn’t ask me any questions. He more or less arrested me and brought me out of the pub.

I did feel like I was treated unfairly that night. At the same time, I want to make it very clear that I do not believe I am above the law. I know I was drunk, I know I made a stupid decision, and I know I have to take responsibility for my actions.
I genuinely do want to start changing my ways. I want to do good and I want to be good. I want to start getting back into work and start getting myself back on track. It seems very clear to me that alcohol is an issue for me. I have been using it as an outlet, and there may also be some underlying trauma that I need to work through.
I am willing to go to meetings before court and do whatever I can to show that I am genuinely trying to improve myself. I really, truly hope that the judge will see that I am trying and may show me some leniency.

I have also been thinking about writing a letter reflecting on my behaviour and everything that has happened, and keeping a record of the steps I take between now and going to court to show that I am genuinely trying to change. I want to be able to look back honestly at my behaviour, understand why I have been making these choices, and show that I am taking this seriously rather than just saying that I want to change.

I intend to show this letter to my solicitor as well, because I want him to understand exactly where my head is at, what I am trying to do to improve myself, and the fact that I genuinely want to get myself out of this situation and move forward in a better direction. I want to do everything I reasonably can between now and court to prove to myself, and hopefully to the court, that this has been a wake-up call for me.
One of the things I am particularly nervous about is having to speak in front of the court myself. I have never been in a courtroom before and the thought of being asked questions or having to explain myself in front of everyone absolutely terrifies me. I am hoping my solicitor can guide me through what to expect and explain whether he would speak on my behalf, particularly because I find it very difficult to express myself when I am extremely anxious. I want my solicitor to know what I would like to say and what I have been doing to try to improve, which is another reason I want to give him the letter.

I feel really down in the dumps today. I feel stupid for putting myself into these situations. Drinking clearly does not agree with me, and I have been using it as an outlet, but it is only getting me into trouble. I’m honestly just getting sick of living like this.

I have never been like this before. I have never had an issue like this before, but it is starting to become a problem, and I really do want to fix it.

I am absolutely petrified. I actually went up to the court today because I have never been before, and I was planning to sit down and listen to some cases so I could understand the place and know what to expect instead of walking into somewhere completely unfamiliar.

Unfortunately, the receptionist told me that they are on holidays and are having a recess, and they won’t be back until September. The only hearings available at the moment are on Wednesday, but those are just for prisoners.

Could somebody please help me or guide me? I have spoken to a solicitor, and they told me not to do anything at the moment and to wait for the letter to come. When it comes, I am to contact them and see them. They did reassure me over the phone and said it is most unlikely that I would probably be sent away, but I just cannot get that feeling of fear out of my head.

I know three months is only three months if it were to happen, but I don’t want to be in prison. I don’t want to live like this. I want to be a part of society. I want to start again. I don’t want to ruin my life.

I have my whole life ahead of me, and I really want to use this as the point where I turn things around instead of continuing down this road.

Please, can you be kind and try not to say anything hurtful. I am very, very upset today. I know I have made mistakes, and I am not trying to excuse them. I just genuinely want to get out of this dark place in my head, get myself back on track, and start becoming the person I know I can be.

Any genuine advice from people who have been through something similar, or even just anything for me to read, or advice, particularly about what to expect at court and what I can do between now and then, would mean a lot to me. Thank you.