‘You have rights, you have support, you have a voice – find yours at VictimsCharter.ie’.
Campaign developed with marginalised, minority and hard to reach communities in mind.
The Minister for Justice, Simon Harris TD, has launched a significant new awareness campaign highlighting the rights available to you if you are a victim of crime.
The campaign, which will run across TV, local and national radio, digital and social, directs people to the VictimsCharter.ie website which sets out your rights in an easily accessible manner, and helps victims of crime to locate services and supports available.
Two adverts – ‘Diversity’ and ‘Translations’ – form the centrepiece of the ‘Victims of Crime – Know your rights’ campaign, and were developed with marginalised, minority and harder-to-reach communities in mind.
Minister Harris said, “We know that being a victim of crime can be traumatic, and victims can understandably struggle with knowing what to do next or what they are legally entitled to when engaging with our criminal justice system. It is so important to know that you have rights, you have a voice and that there are supports available to you. That is what this campaign is about – getting people to know their rights, getting victims to recognise VictimsCharter.ie as an important resource to which they can turn to for information and help when they need it most. I’m delighted to see the inclusive focus in this campaign. We hope that everyone living in Ireland will see themselves reflected in these ads. We know some groups in our society can be harder to reach and unfortunately we also know that some marginalised communities can be fearful of reporting crimes. Issues of intersectionality have arisen strongly in our engagement with victims’ groups in recent years and this is something we will be working to address. Victims’ rights and supports are available to all, and everyone should be aware of them”.
The Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, launched last June, is the first that recognises that certain groups can be at higher risk than others. Those at a higher risk include individuals with disabilities, asylum seekers, trafficked persons, as well as Travellers, Roma and members of the LGBTI+ community.
This campaign helps fulfil an action in the Third National Strategy to raise awareness of the legislation on victims’ rights that currently exists. ‘Diversity’ is focused on community inclusivity – marginalised cohorts, people with a disability, the Travelling community, and older generations are represented. ‘Translations’ is focused on ethnicity and migrant communities. Text from the Victims Charter is shown on faces, translated into various languages including Polish, Mandarin, French, Lithuanian, Arabic and Portuguese.
Minister Harris added, “If you are a victim of crime in Ireland you have rights – that includes everything from interpretation and translation services, to being accompanied by someone at all stages of the process, to information about any release date of the offender. I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a crime to reach out to An Garda Síochána, but to also be aware that supports – such as Crime Victims Helpline Tel: 116006 – are available even if you don’t report the crime”.
The Department of Justice published a new and expanded Victims Charter in 2020 to take account of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017. VictimsCharter.ie was launched in 2021 to provide the information in an easily accessible manner, while still hosting all the information in the Charter.
The journey a victim of crime may face can be divided into three stages: Support and Reporting Stage, the Courts Process and The Post-Trial Stage. VictimsCharter.ie provides victims with the information relevant at each of these stages. It also has a section on their rights and the law.
As part of this awareness campaign, a series of animated educational videos have been created on each stage of the journey, and added to VictimsCharter.ie and will be used on social media to help people navigate the site.
The main assets were produced by the creative agency Javelin, working with the production company, Piranha Bar.
The Irish High Court has been requested to grant orders, directing unnamed persons; latter occupying four caravans, to immediately vacate the grounds of the historic Knocklofty House, latter situated outside Clonmel in Co. Tipperary.
The main block of Knocklofty House was first erected for the 1st Earl of Donoughmore, (circa 1790), before receiving additions to the original structure in the 19th and 20th centuries; yet retaining its Georgian style appearance.
Sadly, back in 1974, the house became the focus of world attention when Lord and Lady Donoughmore were both kidnapped by an IRA gang, as part of a contrived ransom plan. Both the persons kidnapped were subsequently released in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, having being held captive for some five days.
It is believed that because of this kidnapping, the house ceased to remain in family’s ownership, after 1980.
The historic building is situated approximately 6.5 kilometres from Clonmel town; best viewed while travelling route R665. In 2021, it was reported that copper fittings and lead roofing materials had been stripped from the building, by persons unknown, leading to severe water damage to the interior. In more recent years, the building had operated as a hotel, but currently, the house remains vacant and sadly is viewed today in a derelict condition, despite €10,000 being granted by the Irish taxpayer under the ‘Built Heritage Investment Scheme’, to undertake minor repairs, back in March of 2022.
Mr Justice Brian O’Moore at the High Court, was informed yesterday, Tuesday, that currently an unknown number of unwelcome visitors, residing in caravans, have been illegally occupying same property having set up a makeshift camp on the property and are presently grazing up to 20 ponies on the lands surrounding the main house. The Court was further informed that those found trespassing had no permission to be there and were now causing a nuisance, while refusing to vacate the property when requested to do so.
The orders yesterday, were being sought by chartered accountant Mr Ken Fennell, latter appointed by the New York firm of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., [Latter in 2015 appointed receiver to Knocklofty House and surrounding lands, of businessman owner Mr Denis English, of Marlfield House, Clonmel].
An incident room has been established in Thurles Garda Station, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and a senior investigating officer has been appointed, following a number of reports from retailers of people buying building and agricultural materials in stores around Ireland, using fraudulent credit cards.
Reports from store retailers claim that once transactions are authorised, using the fraudulent credit cards, consumers leave the premises with their purchased goods, before the retailer discovers later that the card details provided are fraudulent.
The incidents of customers using fraudulent credit cards are understood to be happening not just in Co. Tipperary, but also in the neighbouring counties of Clare, Limerick, Offaly, Laois, Kildare, Cork, Waterford, Clare and Limerick, and also in counties Leitrim, Westmeath, Monaghan, Kerry, Meath and Wexford.
In recent days (April 17th last) we reported that a father and son team, operating a vehicle with false number plates, had been arrested. See report HERE.
Gardaí in Tipperary are now asking any potential victims, at any other locations, who have not yet contacted An Garda Síochána in relation to such issues, to please contact Thurles Garda Station – Tel: 0504 25100, the Garda Confidential Line – Tel: 1800 666 111, or indeed any Garda Station, so that such matters can be fully investigated.
A father and son appeared before a special sitting of Newcastle West, District Court, Co. Limerick yesterday, Sunday April 16th, both accused of some 30 offences, of theft and fraud.
The charges relate to thefts from building suppliers in various locations across Munster, Connaught and Leinster, between the dates January and March of 2023.
Mr Peter Drennan, aged his 50’s, appeared before the special sitting of the court, charged with eight offences, while his son Mr John Drennan, latter aged in his 20’s, was charged with 26 offences. Both men, who hold separate addresses in the midlands, were arrested in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary and detained at Thurles and Templemore Garda Stations, Co. Tipperary. Both men have been remanded in custody and granted free legal aid.
The men stand accused of offences included being in possession of a white Volkswagen ‘Caddy’ van bearing false number plates, in Banba Square Nenagh on the 14th of April, 2023, same believed to have been used in thefts at Thurles, Roscrea, Ennis, Mullingar and Leitrim.
Thefts listed as stolen from hardware stores in the Co. Tipperary area include:
Twenty sheets of plywood, with a value of €1,280, removed from Ronayne’s Hardware, Thurles.
Building supplies, with a value of €1,214, removed from Stakelum’s Hardware, Thurles; both the latter removed on January 14th, 2023.
Milk replacer valued at €1,000 was stolen from Ballyduff Co-Op in Thurles, on March 15th 2023.
A Victor Whacker plate worth €1,230 was stolen from Midlands Site Supplies in Roscrea, on March 25th.
Other thefts outside the county include building materials to the value of €1,236 removed from Building Providers in Mullingar and Leitrim, removed on January 23th and 24th, receptively, together with 15 bags of Maverick milk replacer, on March 22nd, 2023.
Mr Peter Drennan is now expected to appear before Thurles District Court on Wednesday, April 19th next; while his son Mr John Drennan will appear before Nenagh Circuit Court on the following Friday, April 21st, next.
Plan to operationalise use of electronic tagging for offenders to be in place by end of the year.
Minister for Justice Simon Harris TD has yesterday welcomed the signing into law of the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023, by President Michael D. Higgins.
Electronic Tagging
This Act will strengthen the management and monitoring of sex offenders in the community, including a number of amendments to the sex offenders register notification requirements, as well as providing for electronic tagging and for an explicit prohibition on convicted sex offenders, working with children or vulnerable people.
It is the Minister’s intention that the Act will be commenced later this year. The Department of Justice is liaising with An Garda Síochána, the Probation Service and other relevant Departments and Agencies to prepare for commencement of the Act.
In addition, Justice Plan 2023, published by Minister Harris this week, commits to establishing a working group with key stakeholders to produce a plan by year end to operationalise the use of electronic tagging.
Welcoming the enactment of the legislation today, Minister Harris said: “I welcome the enactment of the Sex Offenders Amendment Act, meeting a key commitment under our Justice Plan and Programme for Government. It is one of the key reforms to help us build stronger, safer communities. I understand the concerns that communities can have about sex offenders and the protection of public safety, and I am confident this legislation will help to alleviate those concerns. The primary aim of this legislation is to improve the management and monitoring of sex offenders in the community to protect the public, including through the use of electronic tagging. Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based is a priority for me and this Government, and this is reflected in a range of policies and legislation that we will continue to progress under the Zero Tolerance strategy on domestic, sexual and gender based violence. One of my priority focuses as Minister for Justice is making the criminal justice system more victim centred, and this Act contains significant measures to help in this work.”
The main provisions of the Act:
Change the sex offenders register notification requirements for sex offenders, including a reduction of the notification period from seven to three days.
Explicitly provide for the court to prohibit a sex offender from working with children and vulnerable adults.
Provide powers to the Garda Síochána to take fingerprints, palm-prints and photographs to confirm the identity of the person.
Create a legislative basis for the assessment and management of risk posed by sex offenders across teams involving probation officers, Gardaí and Tusla.
Allow the Garda Síochána to disclose information relating to persons on the sex offender register, in extenuating circumstances (for example, where there is a serious threat to public safety).
Allow the Garda Síochána to apply for the discharge and variation of a sex offender order.
Allow for electronic monitoring of sex offenders to assist in ensuring an offender’s compliance with a sex offender order or post release supervision order.
The Act will reduce, from 7 days, the period in which sex-offenders must inform Gardaí :-
of their name and address within 3 days of leaving prison.
of any change to their name or address within 3 days.
if they are going to be outside the State for more than 3 days.
if they are returning to the State having been outside it for 3 days.
if they are at an address in the State for 3 days and that address has not been notified to AGS.
sex offenders must notify every 12 months if they had not had need to notify within the previous 12 months.
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