Crime « Thurles Information

Appeal, By Tipperary Drug Dealer Importing Cannabis In Nappies, Rejected.

The Court of Appeal have rejected the re-examination of a case by 39 year old Tipperary resident, Mr Damien Cahill, latter with an address, at Railway Close, Kilsheelan, Co. Tipperary.
Mr Cahill was appealing against a prison sentence doled out for his part in what was described as a sophisticated drug dealing operation in which cannabis was imported into Ireland, disguised as packets of nappies.

In delivering judgement today, Justice Mr Patrick McCarthy said that the court had found no error in the original sentence handed out, which was three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended and in so dismissing the appeal, declared that the Court did not find any error in the original sentence.

Mr Cahill had been convicted at Clonmel Courthouse, South Tipperary on July 13th, 2021, of having cannabis for sale or supply, at Slievenamon Road, Ivowen, Kilsheelan, Co. Tipperary, on September 22nd, 2017.

Cannabis Offence Committed In Order To Discharge Drug Debt.

The appellant had informed Gardaí that he had previously been involved in supplying Cocaine, and he had committed the Cannabis offence only in order to discharge an existing drug debt.

Customs officers had located the drugs hidden in baby nappies and Gardaí subsequently had obtained a search warrant for the address to which the goods were to be delivered.
The appellant had made admissions, during the Garda search, that he was expecting the drugs and had been involved in the sale of cocaine in the past. The appellant was required to hand the drugs over to an unnamed male in order to clear a drug debt of up to €6,000.

Tipperary Firemen On Trial For Alleged Cocaine Possession In Nenagh Fire Station.

Two Tipperary firemen, named as Mr Michael Morgan, aged 43, with an address at Cluain Muillean, Nenagh, and Mr John Walsh, aged 36, residing at Coille Bheithe, Nenagh, appeared before Nenagh Circuit Court, yesterday, for the second day of their trial; accused of having cocaine worth an estimated €78,000, for sale or supply.

Nenagh Circuit Court heard that the illegal drug Cocaine was located in Mr Michael Morgan’s work locker, during a routine inspection at the fire station.

Several past and present members of Nenagh fire services gave evidence of seeing a white powder substance in a green plastic lunchbox. Gardaí had been alerted and both accused men were arrested before being charged in connection with the seizure of suspected Cocaine.

Both men are currently charged with one count of possession of Cocaine for sale or supply, and with one count of possession of being in Cocaine.

A 12 person jury, heard that a number of people would have had access to the firefighters work locker area, as the lockers are routinely left open, thus allowing firefighters quick access to neecessary equipment, when responding to emergency calls.

Garda Mr Andrew O’Loughlin, Nenagh Garda Station, said he responded to a call from Nenagh Fire Station on the evening in question and was shown a box containing a white powdery substance; contents of which were divided up into equal quantities and enclosed in plastic wrapping; same, allegedly discovered in Mr Morgan’s work locker. Forensic analysis later confirmed the substance was Cocaine.

Cocaine has become the second most trafficked illegal drug in the world and no longer the drug of choice for just wealthy people. Today it has the reputation of being a most dangerous and highly addictive drug, strongly linked to poverty, serious crime and death.

The trial continues today.

Tipperary Family Jailed For Unacceptable Cruelty To 27 Dogs.

Warning: Animal Lovers May Find Information, Hereunder, Distressing.

Three members of the same family; namely Mr. Michael Reilly, aged 27; Mr. Martin Reilly (Snr) aged 43; and Ms. Katherine Reilly aged 71, have received, in total, 13 months in prison, having pleaded guilty to eight charges, under the Animal Health and Welfare Act (AHWA) 2013.

The admitted offences, under sections 11, 12 and 13 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act, related to 17 dogs and 10 puppies, that were rescued and now under veterinary care, from properties and land at Killeens, Ballinunty, Thurles, Co Tipperary, on Wednesday May 26th and Friday, June 4th, of 2021. The breeds of dogs seized at the properties included Lurchers, Salukis, Belgian Malinois, a Greyhound, a German Shepherd, and a Chihuahua.

The 27 dogs and puppies, were discovered in varying degrees of physical neglect; having been identified by members of An Garda Síochána, together with two Senior Inspectors with the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) who visited the property.

Cashel District Court heard evidence of what was described as one of the worst cases of cruelty against animals, that inspectors and Gardai had ever seen. The dogs were found chained at the dwelling house of the accused, some in a metal cage; others housed in a cattle trailer and also in an abandoned open ended corrugated shed close by. One animal was found tied to a tree in a forested area behind the dwelling house.
Most of the dogs were found to have no clean drinking water, with their bodies in extremely poor condition. Regarding two of the of the Lurchers rescued; one had an old leg fracture, while a second female Lurcher was heavily pregnant and in a severe state of emaciation. A Belgian Malinois dog had an injured neck, caused due to the chain being embedding in its skin, while many other dogs were found to be suffering from parasitic diseases and untreated wounds. All dogs were found to be starving, thirsty, while being forced to live in their own urine and faeces.

In sentencing, Justice Mr Brian O’Shea imposed a 25-year disqualification on all three of the defendants, preventing them from keeping animals into the future. He ordered also that they pay a total of €9,190 in costs.

Mrs Katherine Reilly was sentenced to one month imprisonment on each of three charges, with the sentences to run consecutively,
Mr Michael Reilly was sentenced to two months imprisonment on each of two charges, to run consecutively.
Mr Martin Reilly (Snr), who did not enter an early guilty plea, received two-month sentences on each of three charges, with the sentences to run consecutively.

Tipperary Farmer Convicted & Fined Under Section 22 of Wildlife Act.

A North Tipperary farmer has been convicted in court and fined €1,000 for killing two Mute swans on his property.

Mr Thomas Hogan with an address at Kylebeg, Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary was convicted and fined at Nenagh District Court on January 5th last.

**Mute Swans on River Suir** **Thurles, Co. Tipperary**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

On conviction Mr Hogan was fined the sum of €1,000 for shooting and killing the two Mute Swans on his lands at Ashley Park, Ardcrony, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, on a date understood to be March 21st, 2021.

The case had previously been heard before the court in June of 2022 when Mr Hogan pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 22 of the Wildlife Act.

The case had been investigated and prosecuted by an Gardaí Siochána in conjunction with (NPWS).

Sgt Regina McCarthy outlined the facts of the case, while the National Parks and Wildlife Service conservation ranger detailed legal options that would have been available to Hogan to address the issue of flocks of swans grazing his farmland.

Mr Justice John King convicted and fined Mr Hogan €500 per swan and granted him six months in order to pay the fine.

New legislation, Criminalising Grooming Of Children Into Crime, Approved By Government.

* Up to five years in prison for grooming children into a life of crime.
* Minister Harris determined to break the link between gangs and youths they try to recruit.
* New legislation will give An Garda Síochána and other State agencies a mandate to intervene at a local level to disrupt and prevent this harm from taking place.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, has today secured Cabinet approval to publish the Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023.

The Bill will, for the first time, create specific offences where an adult compels, coerces, induces or invites a child to engage in criminal activity.

Minister Harris is determined to protect children and teenagers from being coerced into a life of crime and the penalty on conviction is up to five year’s imprisonment.

The new offence will be a separate, prosecutable offence on top of the provisions in current law where an adult who causes or uses a child to commit a crime can generally be found guilty as the principal offender – meaning they can be punished as though they committed the crime themselves.

This will ensure the law will specifically recognise the harm done a child, by drawing them into a world of criminality.

In welcoming this approval, Minister Harris said: “The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and breaking the link between gangs and the vulnerable young people they seek to recruit.
This legislation is aimed at preventing criminal networks from exploiting children to commit crime. Some children and teenagers are being deceived by criminal networks into believing crime can bring wealth, bling and a party lifestyle, but in reality, it brings debts, fear and potentially worse.
Criminal behaviour and conviction can alter the course of a child or a person’s life – damaging employment, education, travel prospects, damaging social connections and overall leading to more negative life outcomes.
Children and teenagers can be more vulnerable to coercion or encouragement to get involved in crime and we need to protect against this.
This Bill will outlaw the grooming of children into crime by making it an offence for an adult to compel, coerce, direct or deceive a child for the purpose of engaging in criminal activity, or for an adult to induce, invite, aid, abet, counsel or procure a child to engage in criminal activity.”

Minister Harris believes that one of the main benefits of this new legislation will lie in the ability it will give to An Garda Síochána to intervene locally to prevent offences taking place.

It will also be a significant contribution to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s drive to tackle child poverty and disadvantage and his ambition to make Ireland the best country in Europe in which to be a child.

Today’s Cabinet approval follows Minister Helen McEntee progressing the draft law in recent years, including commitments in Minister McEntee’s Justice Plans to break the link between gangs and the children they try to recruit into crime.

Minister Harris added: “This legislation will send a strong message to communities that grooming children into criminal activity is not acceptable and can be tackled, and I hope to enact it by the summer recess.”

The Bill will provide an effective tool to help break that link between these children and the adults who control their offending, which in turn is likely to reduce offending by children in these circumstances.

The legislation has also been informed by the Greentown Project, which is being implemented by the University of Limerick in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The aim of the project is to investigate the involvement of children in criminality and to establish interventions to tackle the problem. The Greentown Report showed that criminal networks in many areas operate coercive control over young children.