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 Mr Daniel Kelly, aged 24, with an address at Tulla, Capparoe, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, pleaded guilty to arson, causing €77,500 worth of damage, at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court this week. The damage, which was caused in February 2015, referred to a barn and farm machinery on the property of Mr Patrick Scanlan, Garraunboy, Killaloe, Co. Clare.
A co-accused named as Mr Cathal Griffin, aged 26, of Wilton, Ballymackey, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary also pleaded guilty to the theft of property valued at €3,800. All together item found missing included power hoses, a quantity of electric fencing, electric tools, solid fuel and a chainsaw.
The fire destroyed two attached farm buildings, together with housed farm machinery, including two silage trailers (€30,000), one fertiliser spreader (€4,000), one silage spreader (€2,500), and new tractor tyres.
The victim of the crime, Mr Scanlan, explained that a number of tools and equipment, valued at some €6,000 had also been stolen, including an angle grinder and approximately six bags of coal. While some of these items had been recovered; there remained a debt of €2,000 outstanding.
Gardaí identified Mr Kelly as the person responsible, having recovered a number of the stolen items from an other individual, who had received them from the accused. Co-accused Mr Griffin was identified from a silver Nissan Micra car used and recorded on CCTV.
Justice Mr Gerald Keys reserved his judgement in the case and adjourned sentencing to April 25th next.
A court heard today that a Lithuanian male, Mr Tomas Mikalajunas, was accidentally shot in the face and seriously injured by armed Gardaí, when they intercepted an international burglary gang, at a checkpoint between Ardagh and Shanagolden, Co Limerick, on June 28th 2016 last.
Mr Aurimas Petraska, a Lithuanian man, aged 32, with addresses at Kaunas, Lithuania, and Church Street, Rathkeale, Co Limerick; also, a known associate of the wounded man, today pleaded guilty to a string of major burglaries, involving the theft of €150,000 of women’s clothes and ‘Chanel’ beauty products, from pharmacies across the province of Munster.
While Mr Petraska was the only member of the gang to be charged; Mr Michael Collins prosecuting, informed Limerick Circuit Court, of the gang’s precision, military style operations. Dressed in black fatigues and wearing head lights, this gang were observed on CCTV footage inside the premises they were looting; checking their watches, as they limited themselves to strictly a 6 minute operation.
Amongst the premises raided and ransacked were O’Briens Pharmacy, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, where €20,000 worth of Chanel products was stolen, together with products from two other premises; one situated in Co. Cork and one in Co. Limerick.
Mr Petraska admitted using cheap cars fitted out with cement blocks, which were used as battering rams to gain access through the fronts of these business premises.
Mr Justice Tom O’Donnell today, praised highly, members of Cork Division Gardaí, led by Det. Insp. Joe Moore; Det. Gda. Michael Brosnan, and Det. Gda. Ailish Murphy, for their professionalism in tracking the gang over a two-year period, which involved the use of both Europol and Interpol resources.
Mr Petraska, who pleaded guilty to the charges, had his sentencing adjourned to May 5th 2017 next.
A farmer, named as Mr Pat Quirke, aged 49, with an address at Breanshamore, Tipperary, has appeared in court at the Excel Centre in Tipperary town, charged with the murder of lorry driver and part-time Disc Jockey Mr Bobby Ryan, aged 52, in or about June 3rd 2011, at an unknown location.
 The murdered, separated father of two resided in Boherlahan, near Cashel in South Tipperary and had been reported missing by his family after he failed to appear at his place of work at Killough Quarry, Tipperary. His abandoned Citroen van had been later identified in a woodland area of Bansha; located by his daughter Michelle. Mr Ryan’s body was found in a concealed slurry tank, 22 months later, on April 30th 2013, following his disappearance.
The accused Mr Quirke was arrested yesterday (Tuesday March 21st, 2017) at 5.10pm in Grangemore, Tipperary, before being brought to Tipperary garda station, where he was later charged at 6.30pm.
This morning the accused was presented to a sitting of Tipperary district court accused of Mr Bobby Ryan’s murder. Detective Inspector Patrick O’Callaghan informed the court that when replying to the murder charge, Mr Quirke acknowledged he understood the contents of the charge, but stated he didn’t agree with the charge.
Acting in defence of the accused, Solicitor M/s Aoife Corridan stated she would be making an application for bail later to the High Court. Judge M/s Marie Keane remanded Mr Quirke be held in custody to appear at Thurles district court on Tuesday next, March 28th, 2017.
Members of the late Mr Bobby Ryan’s family were in attendance at court for the hearing.
 Three Laois brothers, in custody since their arrest last July, appeared before Portlaoise Circuit Criminal Court earlier this month. The three men were arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into rural thefts in the counties Tipperary, Laois, Offaly, Carlow and Kilkenny.
In the course of this operation two Garda patrol cars were rammed by a 4×4 Jeep and four Gardaí ended up in hospital.
Mr Thomas McInerney, aged 40, of Twomey Park, Mountmellick; Mr William McInerney, aged 35, of Newline Close, Mountrath and Mr Gerard McInerney aged 38 of Woodbrook, Mountrath, all faced nine separate counts each, (27 counts in all) of possession of stolen property including a Jeep, a trailer, a bolt cutter, a hacksaw, a nail bar, wire cutters, snips and a claw hammer.
The three accused pleaded guilty to all charges and were further remanded in custody, to be sentenced at a hearing on June 13th 2017 next, when victim impact statements will be heard.
State prosecutor, Mr Will Fennelly requested that the case be adjourned, as in this matter there remained a number of other injured parties who were all anxious to attend court. The presiding Judge Mr Keenan Johnson further ordered Probation reports and Governor’s reports on each of the accused.
The arrests, which concerned five Garda units all being involved, has been hailed by Portlaoise Garda Chief Superintendent Mr John Scanlon, as being a significant breakthrough in the fight against rural crime in north Tipperary.
The Insurance firm ‘Axa’ has stated that it is currently investigating 36 allegedly staged accidents in Co Galway and another 19 suspected such accidents in Co. Donegal.
The company, one of the largest insurers in the country, claim that the potential costs of such claims arising out of the various accidents, are likely to be in excess of €3.2m.
This information comes to light at a time when the motor insurance industry has come under scrutiny; with government departments, at the end of last year, publishing various reports on issues surrounding soaring premium costs.
Axa, who back in 2002, initially set up its own Special Investigation Unit, are understood to have opened up more than 600 investigations in relation to suspect household claims; personal injury claims; accidental and third party damage claims and allegations of staged car crashes.
The company have identified organised rings of persons involved in staged traffic accidents in certain areas of the country, and in particular the Galway region. Links have been found where personal injury claims are being pursued for a total sum in excess of €2m.
In Co Donegal, 19 such ongoing investigations, also suspected of being staged accidents, are being pursued for in excess of €1.2m.
It is estimated that the cost of motor insurance fraud nationally represents a figure of some €200mn, placing approximately €50 on the average sold motor premium.
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