Tag Archives: Ennis District Court

A traveller told his legal team, “I paid you three grand to take this to court and is this the result I get?” after a judge threw out his discrimination case against a North Clare pub and seafood restaurant. At Ennis District Court, father-of-six Patrick Donovan expressed his frustration for everyone in the court to hear, after Judge Fiona Lydon ruled that he was asked to leave Vaughan’s pub and seafood restaurant in Liscannor not on the basis of discrimination or because he was a Traveller. In words heard across the court room, Mr Donovan told his two strong legal team, “I paid you three grand to take this to court and is this the result I get here? What is my kids’ future? What is my family’s future?” Judge Lydon moments earlier retreated from the bench to her chambers after Mr Donovan got to his feet to protest at her ruling in the case. He told Judge Lydon, before she departed, …

A 41-year-old Clare man has been returned for trial, concerning the alleged illegal possession of 7,606 images and 139 video files of child pornography. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan made the order for the return for trial of the Clare man to the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court. In the case, the man is charged with, on September 4, 2013, knowingly distributing child pornography for the purpose of distribution, publication and exportation, contrary to Section 5 (1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. The man is also accused of knowingly having in his possession the 7,606 child porn images and 139 video files at a Clare address on the same date, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. In the circuit court, the accused, if convicted, faces a prison term up to five years on the possession charge and up to 14 years on the distribution charge. …

A MARRIED couple who were operating a brothel out of an Ennis property, were making €1,200 per week for offering prostituion services, Ennis District Court has heard. David Navvaro (20) and Celia Gallan (42) with an address at Drumroe, Rhebogue, County Limerick were collectively fined what would be a week’s earnings in the brothel. The couple, who have since moved to the east of the country, pleaded guilty to living on the earnings of prostitution, contrary to the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act 1993. The charge states the defendants did knowingly live in whole or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person and aided and abetted that prostitution at a house at Station View on July 23, 2016. At Wednesday’s sitting of the district court Navvaro, who is Spanish, and his Brazlian wife, Gallan pleaded guilty to the charge and claimed they did not know it was illegal to operate a brothel as it is “a …

A judge has stated that the State is funding a criminal teenager living in the “lap of luxury”. Judge Patrick Durcan made his comment after hearing that TUSLA is funding the 17 year-old Clare teen living in a two bedroom apartment. After hearing of the teen’s living arrangements at the Children’s Court in Ennis, Judge Durcan addressed him and said: “Here you are living in a lap of luxury – a criminal – and being provided with everything by the State. Have you any appreciation for that?’ In response, the teen said: “I do appreciate it a lot.” Asked to outline the money he receives while staying at the TUSLA funded two bedroom apartment, the teen said: “I get €35 a week pocket money; €40 a week for shopping and €50 a month for clothes.” Judge Durcan asked: “Do you realise 100 years ago there were young lads your age being sent off to fight in Europe with big heavy …

A Garda surveillance on a telephone pole paid off, when a 43-year-old drug dealer was spotted leaving two plastic lunch boxes, containing 12 bags of cocaine, at the pole. At Ennis District Court this week, Simon McDonagh of Aonach An Chláir, Clarecastle, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supplying cocaine, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act on March 14, 2017. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Patrick Durcan described the circumstances of the find as “fascinating” and said that he regarded the offence as very much at the upper end of Section 15 offences. Giving an outline of the facts in the case, Inspector Tom Kennedy said that Detective Garda Gary Stack was conducting a surveillance operation in a rural area at Lissane West, outside Clarecastle. He saw Simon McDonagh arrive and stoop down beside the telephone pole and place the two …

A 41-year-old Scotsman who brought his dog to a burglary appeared in court this week, after he broke into The Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna and stole a credit card machine. Sean O’Neill, who is originally from Glasgow but has an address at Rooska, Lisdoonvarna, pleaded guilty to burglary at The Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna on August 2, 2017, and also to possession of cannabis at his address on August 5, 2017. At Wednesday’s sitting of Ennis District Court, Inspector Tom Kennedy outlined that O’Neill broke into the business premises by breaking a glass panel in the door. “He took a wireless machine for credit cards. That is how he was detected, because he tried to use his card in the machine later that day,” he said. Inspector Kennedy told the court that, in total, between the damage and the loss of the machine, the smokehouse was out of pocket to the tune of €700. Inspector Kennedy said when gardaí went …

A man appeared before the district court this week concerning 10 counts of dangerous driving across Ennis and areas in East Clare. Andrew Moroney (32) of Lower Main Street, Tulla appeared in connection with 16 alleged driving offences in Ennis and East Clare in the early hours of Monday of this week. In the case, Mr Moroney is facing 10 separate dangerous driving counts from the incident that lasted just under one hour after 2.30am on Monday morning. The Tulla man is facing two counts of dangerous driving from his driving on Abbey Street, Ennis, two counts from his driving on O’Connell Square in Ennis and two counts on the Quin Road, Ennis. Mr Moroney is also charged with dangerous driving at Station Road, Ennis, Monamoe townland, Clooney townland and Sraheen townland. Mr Moroney is also charged with drink driving at Derrynaneil, Feakle and criminal damage of a Garda patrol car at Sraheen townland. He is also charged with failing …

Former Labour TD Michael McNamara is to appeal a two-year driving ban imposed for dangerous driving. At Ennis District Court this week, Judge John King convicted Mr McNamara of dangerous driving, which comes with an automatic two-year ban, at Tobernagath, Scarriff on December 10, 2016. Counsel for Mr McNamara, Martin Dully, BL, said a driving ban would be “exceptionally disastrous for this man”. Mr Dully said there was an allegation from a garda that Mr McNamara was driving 20km in excess of the 80km speed limit and that“what you have here is not dangerous driving; it couldn’t possibly be”. Judge King dismissed an accompanying charge against Mr McNamara that he had obstructed a garda in the course of his duties on the same date outside his home. Judge King said it would be “unfair and unsafe” to convict Mr McNamara of the obstruction charge, as Garda Darren McLoughlin had not specifically advised him that he was invoking Section 7 of …