Tag Archives: Clare Circuit Courts

A CIRCUIT court judge has quashed the no insurance conviction imposed last year on the partner of former Sinn Finn TD, Violet Anne Wynne, John Mountaine (40). At Kilrush Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford quashed the no insurance conviction along with the consequent two year driving ban on Mr Mountaine formerly of Pella Rd, Kilrush. The no insurance conviction was quashed at Kilrush Circuit Court on Tuesday after a successful appeal by solicitor, Patrick Moylan on behalf of Mr Mountaine. Last June, in the district court, Judge Mary Larkin imposed the driving ban and the no insurance conviction arising from a Gardai prosecution concerning Mr Mountaine driving a 192 registered black Ford Grand C-Max at Decomede, Lissycasey, Co Clare on February 8 2021. However, with the no insurance conviction now quashed, Mr Moylan said on Wednesday that “Mr Mountaine is fully vindicated” while Deputy Violet Anne Wynne (Ind) claimed that her partner suffered “character assassination” arising from the national reporting …

A JUDGE has described a father who abandoned his two school-going children to travel to Singapore to a woman he met online as ‘callous’ and ‘cowardly’. At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford said that Cho ‘Simon’ Cheung (51) abandoning his children in October 2016 was “a calculated, criminal act”. Mr Cheung abandoned his daughter, Ciara then aged 11 and his 15-year-old son nine years after the children’s mother had left the family home in Shannon to go back to Hong Kong. Judge Comerford said Mr Cheung’s offence “is an egregious example of callousness and cowardice on behalf of the accused”. Judge Comerford said that Mr Cheung was cowardly for lying, saying that he was going to Dublin instead of Singapore and callous because he knew that the children’s mother hadn’t been in their lives since daughter, Ciara was two. Judge Comerford said, “Mr Cheung knows his children are about to lose the presence of granny who has been there …

A LANDLORD “exploded” and threw building blocks through the windows of his tenant’s home before taking out a knife and threatening the pensioner, a court has heard. PJ Walsh (75) was left “badly shaken” by the ordeal which occurred at the property he rented from Christopher Meaney (39) at Poulawilliam, Miltown Malbay, on October 13, 2019.  Ennis Circuit Court heard Meaney owned the house and “snapped” on the day because of a tenancy dispute with Mr Walsh.  Meaney, a block-layer, with an address at Quilty East, Quilty, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and one count of criminal damage.  Judge Francis Comerford reserved sentencing and adjourned the case to October 28.  The court heard Meaney has assembled €30,000 which is available to Mr Walsh if he chooses to accept it.  Outlining the facts of the case, Garda Bríd Troy said Mr Walsh had been cooking dinner and watching a hurling match on television when he heard the sound of …

A JUDGE has jailed a 21-year-old Limerick man for six months for an assault on a female Garda sergeant who remains in constant pain and is unable to return to work two years after the late night assault at the seaside resort of Kilkee. At Kilrush Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed a 30-month prison sentence suspending the final 24 months on apprentice mechanic, Stephen Cotter of Oakfield, Fr Russell Rd, Dooradoyle, Limerick after he pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm of Sergeant Edel Burke on August 1, the Saturday night of the August Bank Holiday weekend in 2020. Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL said that the incident was filmed on a mobile phone and widely circulated on social media but that Mr Cotter was not responsible for this. Sergeant Katie Carthy told the court that Sergeant Burke came across the incident on clips that appeared on TikTok and Snapchat. In her victim impact statement, Sergeant Burke …

A JUDGE has told two men involved in a boundary row that “life is too short for neighbours to be having disagreements”, writes Gordon Deegan. Despite head-butting his 71-year-old neighbour, Rory Murphy (46), of Clifden, Corofin, was cleared unanimously by the jury at Ennis Circuit Court of assault causing harm. Mr Murphy was acting in self defence, having been hit on the head with a hammer by John Fisher, also of Clifden, Corofin, on January 15, 2019. Judge Brian O’Callaghan added his hope that “some of the issues between you can be resolved”. At the end of the two-day trial, Judge O’Callaghan told Mr Murphy: “You came to court an innocent man and you leave this court today an innocent man.” In a voluntary interview with Gardai, Mr Murphy did admit head-butting Mr Fisher at the boundary site but stated that this was in self defence after Mr Fisher hit him with a hammer across the head. Mr Murphy of …