Thurles Information

Gardaí appear to be “hot on the heels” of raiders who escaped with a small amount of cash, having ransacked the home of former Tipperary hurler Mr ­Jimmy Campion, aged 94, and his wife Mrs Mary Campion, aged 87, in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, on Saturday night-week last.

The gang members, who also attacked the couple on the night of May 7th last; striking Mr Campion over the head with his own walking stick, leaving him needing several stitches to head wounds, are suspect in a spate of past home burglaries, committed across the Munster and Connacht area, over the past number of years.

Mr Campion, who has now been discharged from the Midland Regional Hospital, in Portlaoise, following his ordeal, is said to be making a good recovery from the injuries to his head.

Yesterday morning Gardaí, who have identified a travelling gang whom they believe are responsible, visited a number of addresses in South County Dublin, including one halting site. During these visits, mobile phones and other articles believed to be linked to the Roscrea raid, were removed for forensic examination, and as part of an evidence-gathering operation. Specialists from the Garda Technical Bureau will now forensically examine clothing taken in the raids, while mobile phones removed will be sent for full scrutiny to the computer crime unit.

Individuals suspected of involvement in this crime are understood to have departed from their previous known addresses, since this recent serious criminal occurrence.

These raids yesterday follow a close study of CCTV footage, taken from various security cameras which were located on or near the Old Dublin Road area of Roscrea town.

Anyone with information on this case are being asked by Gardaí to contact their investigation team on Tel: (0505) 24230 or phone their confidential line on Tel: 1800 666111.

A man, aged 94 has been removed by ambulance to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, suffering with head injuries, following an aggravated burglary at his home here in North Tipperary.

Gardaí confirm that the man was in the family home at Old Dublin Road, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, with his wife, when two men broke through a side window in the building around 11.40pm last night, before assaulted the 90-year-old.

During the break-in the female, aged in her 80’s, although suffering from shock, thankfully remained uninjured.

Gardaí believe that a quantity of cash was taken during the raid, and have sealed off the building for a forensic examination.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward or phone Roscrea Garda Station, An Phríomhshráid, Townparks, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary at Tel: (0505) 24230.

Two men who had been jailed for 20 years for aggravated burglary at the home of Mark and Emma Corcoran and their 3 children in Co. Tipperary, have had their jail sentences reduced.

The 2 men who had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at the Corcoran home in Burnchurch, Killenaule in November 2013, and who now have had their sentences reduced are:-
(1) Mr Patrick Gately, aged 28, with an address at Primrose Grove, Darndale, Dublin 17, who had 85 previous convictions, had previously been sentenced to 20 years, with four suspended.
(2) Mr Dean Byrne, aged 22, with an address at Cabra Park, Dublin 17, and who had 120 previous convictions, was also, prior to today’s appeal, given a sentence of 20 years, with four years suspended.

The gang had been found guilty on October 1st, 2015, of breaking into the Corcoran home, armed with a sawn-off shotgun, a handgun and a machete, (Latter a broad bladed implement used in combat, like a short sword). Mr Mark Corcoran had suffered a fractured eye socket and a broken nose, from a blow from one of the raiders guns. This had resulted in him later undergoing four separate surgeries in an effort to reconstruct his face.  The children, who were present in the house at the time of the robbery, were also threatened with death.

This attack, combined with numerous others robberies on those resident in rural Ireland, eventually lead to a meeting of some 2000 unhappy Tipperary people, in the Anner Hotel, in October 2015. The purpose of this meeting; to rebuke the then FineGael /Labour Government over the lack of Garda resources in Co. Tipperary. The meeting in turn led to the setting up by An Garda Síochána of ‘Operation Thor’, sanctioned by government in November 2015.

Today, at the Court of Appeal, both of the above named had their sentences reduced by 2 years with the final four suspended. Both men were among 7 others, namely; Patrick Joyce, aged 21, from Beaumont Hall, Beaumont Woods, Dublin 9; John Joyce, aged 19, from Lentisk Lawn, Donaghmede, Dublin; Michael McDonagh, aged 22, from Tara Lawns, Belcamp Lane, Coolock, Dublin 5; Thomas Flynn, aged19, Moatview Avenue, Coolock, Dublin 5, and Donal O’Hara, aged 21, from Glin Park, Coolock, Dublin 5; who had also pleaded guilty to the crime.

Appeals from the remaining gang members, above named, were dismissed.