Crime | Thurles Information

Rise Above Influence Of Drug Use – Make Responsible Decisions.

In 2020, 674 people under the age of 18 entered drug treatment, the majority for cannabis as their main problem drug.
In 2020, 1,874 people between the age of 18 – 24 entered drug treatment, with over 61% using more than one drug.
In 2017, 53 people below the age of 24 died from a drug-related illness.

As part of their ‘Campus Watch’ programme; Gardaí are launching their #Riseabovetheinfluence drug awareness campaign, as students return to college.

The campaign aims to encourage students to seek out positive influences and avoid the harmful consequences of drugs misuse.

Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said, “Freshers Week should be a time for celebration, the beginning of something good in your life. Don’t let drug use end your career before it starts.

If you use drugs such as Cannabis, Cocaine, Ketamine and MDMA, you are committing a criminal offence and also risking addiction, loss of career opportunities, under-achievement, and international travel restrictions. Taking other substances like cannabis edibles: jellies, sweets, drinks, vapes, or synthetic cannabinoids or nitrous oxide balloons also carries health and prosecution risks.

Taking un-prescribed ‘study’ drugs or sleeping pills can lead to anxiety, addiction and psychosis. Multiple or Poly-drug use is extremely dangerous and increases your risk of overdose or death.

While we strive to keep people safe, we believe that you can also help keep yourself safe. Contact the emergency services if you become ill after consuming a drug or are in the presence of somebody who may be ill.

Our “Rise above the influence” message is simple. Your future is in your hands. Seek out positive influences on Campus. Choose the influences which will enhance your future career. Make responsible decisions for yourself and be aware of those around you. Don’t become another victim of the drug trade.

Drug use can lead to addiction, debt, prison and the destruction of your physical and mental health. You don’t know what you’re taking. You don’t know where it will take you.”

Be Aware “Bank Jugging” – New Criminal Trend.

“Bank jugging” is when criminals position themselves outside of a bank or other financial institution, watching as customers enter and leave the building. These criminals can work in pairs, one casually watching, while in mobile phone contact with a partner parked nearby.

The thief will then target anybody who comes out with a bank change bag or envelope that looks like it may contain a large amount of cash.

Gardaí are now warning the public about this rising trend, having dubbed this behaviour, “bank jugging”.

The criminal then may follow the customer before either breaking into their unattended vehicle or depending on their whereabouts, may even threaten or directly attack their targeted victim, stealing from their person.

Gardaí have issued six actions to reduce the chances of becoming a victim of “bank jugging”.

(I) Be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially if you notice something odd when entering or leaving your bank.
(2) Conceal all bank deposit bags, change bags or envelopes when entering and leaving the bank.
(3) Take your bank bag or envelope with you to your next destination and do not leave it sitting anywhere in your motor vehicle.
(4) Vary your route and times regularly when making cash lodgements or withdrawals.
(5) Consider using electronic transfers rather than physically depositing and withdrawing cash, where at all possible.
(6) If you feel you are being followed, call 999, then drive your vehicle to your nearest Garda station.

Gardaí Seize Cannabis At Cashel Road, Clonmel.

**Photo courtesy of An Garda Síochána, Co. Tipperary**.

On the evening of September 16th last (2021) Clonmel Gardaí acting on reliable information, executed a search warrant at an address in the Cashel Road area of Clonmel, in south Co. Tipperary.

Upon searching a house in that area, approximately €1750 worth of cannabis was found and seized by Gardaí.

A man has since been arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 and taken to Clonmel Garda Station for questioning.
The man was subsequently released from Garda custody without charge, pending a full investigation file being sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Thurles search warrant reveals cocaine mixed with baking soda.

Meanwhile, here in Thurles on September 1st last (2021), Gardaí executed a search warrant under the misuse of drugs act, at No.3 St. Bridget’s Terrace, Thurles, at the home address occupied by Mr Ned Reilly.

During the search Gardaí located five small zip lock bags containing a white powder, later discovered to be a mix of cocaine and baking soda, with an estimated street value of €375 and destined for local Thurles sale.

Mr Reilly has since appeared in court and was sentenced to four months in prison, same suspended for two years on condition that Mr Reilly enter into a Section 99 peace bond of €250.

Crab Apple – Airig Fedo

Prior to English rule here in Ireland, we had our own Brehon Law system, dating from Celtic times, which survived up until about the 17th century, when same became replaced by English common law. Brehon (Irish: breitheamh,) were part of the system of Early Irish law, which was simply called “Brehon laws”; Brehons being judges, close in social importance to our Irish chiefs.

Today, this Brehon body of rules and regulations laid down is probably the oldest known European example of a fair yet sophisticated legal system of the time.

The Brehon laws; laws of a pastoral people, were originally composed in poetic verse and memorised by the Brehons and were written down by later Christian scholars.

The economics of this Brehon law period in Ireland was based on a self-sufficient agricultural economy, regulated fairly, by tribal and family relationships. Wealth was measured in terms of livestock ownership, with barter the main form of exchange.

**Mature Crab Apple tree set on fire some two years ago by a fly tipper**.

This afternoon, as I walked along the public right-of-way known as the Great Famine “Double Ditch”, at Mill Road, Thurles, I was reminded of the 8th century “Bretha Comaithchesa”, (Translated from Irish – ‘Laws or Judgements of the Neighbourhood’ ).

It is here that a mattress and other documents was set alight by a ‘fly tipper’, which in turn set a Crab Apple tree on fire. While half of it appears to have survived it did not fully bloom this year and failed to produce its former abundance of very edible fruit.

The Irish Green Party, currently who are partners in our Government would do well to read “Bretha Comaithchesa”, as these laws included specific regulations dealing with trees.

[Remember, shamefully, there is still no timescale on the establishment of a wildlife crime unit, despite its formation being announced 12 months ago by Heritage Minister Mr Malcolm Noonan of the aforementioned Green Party, latter who has great difficulty answering his emails].

Under these “Bretha Comaithchesa” laws, certain trees and shrubs were protected by law, because of their importance within each local community. Thus, stiff penalties were imposed on individuals for any damage considered unlawful, such as base-cutting and removal, branch-cutting, or even damage to the tree’s bark/skin.

These laws governed four classes of tree, depending on their economic importance, which usually related to the tree’s fruit production, timber quality, or its overall size when fully grown. The four classes governed were; airig fedo (nobles of the wood); aithig fedo (commoners of the wood), the fodla fedo (lower divisions of the wood) and the losa fedo (bushes or shrubs of the wood).

The ‘díre‘ or ‘just penalty‘ for an any such offence was a hefty fine in the form of livestock, with the penalties graded according to the class of tree damaged and the form of injury inflicted. The penalty for the mutilation of one of the ‘nobles of the wood’, [in this case on our ‘Double Ditch’ a fruiting crab apple tree], was two and a half milk cows.

Gardaí Seek To Return 140 Pieces Of Stolen Jewellery.

Gardaí are seeking to return some 140 pieces of jewellery to their rightful owners. Each piece is believed to have been stolen somewhere in Ireland and Gardaí state they do not actually know from whence they were stolen.

The items in question include watches, pendants and rings, which were seized during a number multiple searches of a house in the greater Tallaght area, between February and April of 2021.

The items were placed on displayed at Crumlin Garda Station this morning and have an estimated value of some €165,000. Gardaí are convinced that the items were removed from private residential properties during a series of burglaries.

The items include rings and pendants worth €73,000; diamonds valued at €55,000, (latter which Gardaí believe may have been removed from their original settings), and 41 watches worth around €37,000.

All items have now been catalogued and can be viewed by the public HERE. [Note: Because of the high quality and number of the photographs in the pdf file supplied, site is slow to open, so give it a few extra seconds.]

Anyone who believes they may be the owner of any of the items on view, same can contact Crumlin Garda Station at Tel:- 01-6666200.