Tag Archives: Clare District Court

A MAN accused of repeatedly hitting his wife and dragging her across the kitchen floor during an alleged assault in Clare has been refused bail, writes Ronan Judge. The alleged incident occurred at the couple’s home address in Clare on Tuesday. A 38-year-old-man was brought before an in-camera sitting of Ennis District Court this week charged with assault causing harm to his wife. He is also charged with possession of a small amount of cannabis. Both charges arise from an alleged incident at a house in Clare on Tuesday, February 15. A local garda gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. The court heard that in reply to one of the charges, the accused man said, “It’s everything, correct”. Solicitor Tara Godfrey was assigned legal aid to represent the accused and she said her client was applying for bail. The application was opposed by the State. The garda said bail was opposed on a number of grounds including the seriousness …

A WOMAN has pleaded guilty to the theft of flowers, ornaments and other items from graveyards in Clare, writes Ronan Judge. Mairead O’Sullivan committed the thefts over a year long period between 2020 and 2021. At Killaloe District Court, Ms O’Sullivan, with an address at Fergus View, Cappahard, Tulla Road Ennis, entered guilty pleas to 18 charges of theft. The offences were carried out between May 2020 and April 2021 at Tulla graveyard and Druncliffe and Templemaley graveyards near Ennis. The total value of the items stolen was €597.50. The majority of the thefts occurred at Tulla graveyard. Among the items stolen by O’Sullivan were flowers, rose bushes, glass lamps and wicker boxes. (Read Fiona McGarry interview with one of the people affected by the thefts here) One of the thefts – that of ornamental barrels and flowers – took place between the hours of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2020 at Tulla graveyard. The court heard that 14 people …

A DRIVER who performed “donuts” at a crossroads while up to 15 cars blocked all four access roads has received a driving ban, writes Ronan Judge. The “organised” drifting event occurred close to Lemenagh Castle near Corofin last November, Ennis District Court heard. Judge Mary Larkin said of the incident, “This was an organised event. It was dangerous. There is no other way about it. It was dangerous.” Garda James O’Donoghue told the court he and colleagues responded to a report of “boy racers drifting” near Lemenagh north, Corofin at around 1.45am on November 22, 2020. The garda said he heard the “extremely loud noise” of screeching tyres at the scene. The garda said he exited the patrol van and observed two cars performing donuts at a crossroads. He told the court the cars were surrounded by a group of up to 15 other cars that were blocking all access to the crossroads. A number of the people were standing …

A MARRIED couple with a combined 157 years of “living peacefully and not troubling anyone” have been convicted over their refusal to wear face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic, writes Gordon Deegan. At Killaloe District Court, Judge Mary Larkin convicted Ryan Austin (81) and Nicky Austin (76) both of Woodpark, Mountshannon, Co Clare, over their refusal to wear face masks at the Aldi store in Killaloe during a Covid-19 lockdown on January 26. Solicitor for the two, Billy Loughnane said that his two clients have “over 150 years of living peacefully and never causing trouble in all that time”. The two contested the prosecution and Mr Loughnane said: “They are a very private people. The non wearing of masks by this couple was a private matter and not any form of public protest.” Mr Loughnane said that the wearing of masks causes stress to both of them. He said that their GP, as a matter of policy, won’t provide letters …

A SO-CALLED “convention of people with broken hearts” met up for a late night rendezvous in a parked car in the west Clare village of Kilmihil during a Covid-19 lockdown, a court has heard. At Kilrush District Court, Garda Niall Donegan stated that when he approached the car and reminded the three occupants of the Covid-19 travel restrictions, driver, Finbar O’Gorman (27) replied that the three “were out of bad relationships and were meeting up for a chat”. Garda Donegan stated that the two other occupants of the car were female and the car was parked up in the forecourt of a filling station in Kilmilil at 12.05am on February 18 last. A Covid-19 travel ban outside 5km was in place at the time and Mr O’Gorman had driven 29km on the night from his home at Bruach na hAbhainn, Ennis, to meet his two friends in Kilmihil. Mr O’Gorman pleaded guilty to breaching the Covid-19 health regulations by being present in …

A POSTMAN got “bull thick” with a garda after he found out he was getting a speeding ticket, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, Garda Darren Lynch said he was operating a speed detection point at Cahercalla More, Kilrush Road, Ennis on January 14, 2021, when he stopped a vehicle driven by Gearoid Noel O’Brien (25). Garda Lynch said the vehicle was detected driving at 82 km per hour in a 60km zone The garda said Mr O’Brien told him he had been “caught here before” and that he was not going to pay any speeding ticket. Garda Lynch said Mr O’Brien then said to him, “Shove it (ticket) up your hole, you fat b*****d”. Mr O’Brien, with an address at Villa Park, Monmore, Kilrush, denied speeding and contested the summons against him. In cross examination, defence solicitor Daragh Hassett put it to Garda Lynch that it appeared that he and his client did not get on too …