Tag Archives: Judge Francis Comerford

A-27-year old gym enthusiast who told a court that he wasn’t able to lift a shopping bag or do the shopping after a ‘glancing blow’ with another car has been awarded €8,000 by a court in a personal injuries claim. At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford stated that Patrick Joyce’s car had “a glancing blow” with another car where the “wing mirrors did hit off each other”. Along with awarding father of three, Patrick Joyce €8,000, Judge Comerford awarded his then pregnant wife and front seat passenger, Helen Joyce €11,000 in personal damages. Ms Joyce told the court as her own pregnancy went on, her back pain got worse and she had the pain “nearly every day”. In the assessment case where the other driver, a Clare man, accepted liability for the collision, Judge Comerford also made a material impact award to Patrick Joyce from the damage to his Volkswagen car at €1,254. Judge Comerford said that he was …

A 65-YEAR-OLD man who was found by gardaí late at night in his car in a secluded rural location in Clare with a vulnerable 15-year-old girl and a box of Viagra tablets has been sentenced to 11 months in prison. At Ennis circuit court, Judge Francis Comerford said it was “praiseworthy that gardaí were able to intervene” in the incident that took place at McNamara’s lake, O’Briensbridge in the early hours of August 23, 2017. Details of the incident were heard at the sentencing hearing of Pat Barry (65). Barry, a retired stable hand with an address at Garryglass Avenue, Rosbrien, Limerick, pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual assault. Judge Francis Comerford imposed a 20-month prison sentence with the final nine months suspended for what he called a “sexual assault, without consent, on a vulnerable young child”. Garda Áine Troy told prosecuting counsel, Lorcan Connolly BL she had two other colleagues were on patrol on the date in …

A JUDGE has revoked bail for a man who threw a petrol bomb into a family’s home in Ennis.  At Ennis circuit court, Judge Francis Comerford granted the State’s application to revoke bail for Martin Mongans (34) who is awaiting sentencing for his role in a feud-related violent attack.  Judge Comerford made the order after hearing evidence Mongans breached his bail conditions on nine or 10 occasions since he was first admitted to bail 11 months ago.  Mongans, a father of seven with an address at College Grove, Ennis, has pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment contrary to section 13 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act.  The charge against  Mongans relates to an attack at 25 Pearse Avenue, Cloughleigh, Ennis on November 22, 2021.  The charge states Mongans intentionally or recklessly engaged in conduct – throwing a petrol bomb and the reckless discharge of a firearm – that created a substantial risk of death or serious …

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 …