Tag Archives: crime

THREE Clare men have been sentenced for their part in the robbery of a pensioner who left his home by bicycle following the ordeal and continues to live in a nursing home. Noel Garry, aged 20 of Cooraclare, was sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to his involvement in a second robbery at 68 year old Michael McMahon’s home in West Clare. Mr Garry was described as the “most culpable of the three” involved in the case before Ennis Circuit Court this week. The Circuit Court was told that Mr McMahon cycled through the night from his home after it was targetted by around five criminals in two separate robberies on February 21 and 25, 2012 in which a total of between €7,000 and €8,000 was stolen. 21 year old Joseph Lernihan of Finnuremore Park, Mullagh, who admitted involvement in both robberies, was given a three year suspended sentence and ordered to pay the victim compensation of €3,790. 20 …

GARDAÍ in Kilrush are  continuing their investigation following the discovery of a body in the West Clare village of Ballynacally on Saturday morning last. The body of Mr Tony McElroy, aged 61, from Kilmaley, was found at approximately 9am close to the community centre. Following a post mortem examination, gardaí are satisfied there was no foul play and are treating the matter as a sudden death. An investigation into the wider movements of Mr McElroy leading up to his death is still underway in order to prepare a file for the county coroner. A technical examination of the scene where his body was found in front of the community centre, behind the village playground, was carried out on Saturday. It is understood Mr McElroy was socialising in Daly’s pub on Friday night, which is close to where his body was found. His funeral took place on Tuesday in Kilmaley church, with burial afterwards at Mount Temple Cemetery, Kilmaley.

GARDAí in Ennis have arrested a man in his early 30s following the discovery of a growhouse in Mullagh on Thursday night. Gardai seized cannabis plants at various stages of growth with an estimated street value of up to €144,000, pending analysis, following a search of a house on Main Street, Mullagh. The house was searched as part of an ongoing operation targeting the cultivation, possession and sale  of cannabis in the county. The growhouse, which was discovered shortly after midnight on Thursday by gardaí from the Ennis Drug Unit assisted by local gardaí, was described as “sophisticated”. A male in his early 30s was arrested at the scene and is currently being detained at Ennis Garda Station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. He can be held for up to seven days. This is the sixth cannabis seizure in Clare in less than two weeks and brings the total estimated value …

OUR crime reporter, Carol Byrne, talked to RTÉ’s Seán O’Rourke earlier today about the tragic case of a 68-year-old West Clare man, who cycled 30 miles at night to check himself into a nursing home. He lived alone and had been terrorised by burglars at his remote home. At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, three men pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in March. Listen to the interview here.  

GARDAÍ in Kilrush have seized drugs with an estimated street value of €500,000 after they uncovered a growhouse in West Clare this week. The cannabis cultivation operation was located at a house at Breaffa, a townland approximately one mile from the seaside village of Carraigaholt, on Wednesday, January 8. During the operation, gardaí discovered 600 plants growing and evidence of in excess of 500 harvested plants. According to gardaí, but pending analysis, the drugs seized may have a street value of almost €500,000. The search and seizure was part of an operation targeting the cultivation of cannabis in the locality. The scene was preserved and a technical examination of the area has been carried out. Gardaí in Kilrush confirmed there have been no arrests to date and anyone with information is asked to contact Kilrush Garda Station on 065 9080550.

GARDAÍ in Ennis are investigating after shots were  fired at an occupied house in Ennis on the morning of New Year’s Day. A firearm was discharged at Childers Road, Cloughleigh at approximately 5am. It is understood that although the house was occupied at the time no persons were injured during the incident. A man, aged 46, was arrested in connection with the garda investigation and was detained at Ennis Garda Station under the provisions of Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 to 1998. He has since been released without charge and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Investigations are ongoing and anyone who can assist the gardaí with their enquiries is asked to contact them on 065-6848100.

GARDAÍ seized €1m in cash and arrested two people in Portrusha,  on the Clare Limerick border at the weekend. The operation, which is part of an ongoing investigation into organised criminal activity in the Limerick area, was carried out on Saturday afternoon. The cash was discovered when Gardai attached to the Divisional Drugs and Crime Units searched a property at Portcrusha near Castleconnell. Two males aged in their 50s and 40s were arrested and detained at Henry St Garda Station during the operation. On Monday, a male in his 50s remained in Garda custody where he is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.  He can be held for up to seven days. The  second male in his 40s arrested has been released without charge.  

DEPUTY Michael McNamara has called for possession of cannabis to be included on the adult caution scheme. The Clare deputy raised the matter when speaking on a private members motion tabled by Deputy Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and the technical group calling for cannabis regulation and legalisation last week. Deputy McNamara highlighted that in 2006, the adult caution scheme was introduced, whereby gardaí could grant an adult caution for a list of offences if they believed it to be beneficial. “It was proposed that the possession of cannabis – not possession with intent to supply – would be included on the list but it fell off the bottom. Additional offences have been added since in which an adult caution can be issued but possession of cannabis remains excluded. I asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in how many cases the Probation Act was applied to cases of cannabis possession in Ireland, and there appears to be approximately 1,500 cases on …