Thurles Information

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.

* 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.

Yesterday, Gardaí in the Nenagh area of Co. Tipperary, carried out a series of searches, which resulted in the confiscation of a large quantity of Cannabis edibles; same suspected to contain synthetic cannabinoids. This was the second such known seizure in recent days, within Co. Tipperary.

Often labelled “not for human consumption” for liability defence; Synthetic cannabinoids are designed to be similar to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and are a class of designer drug molecules which attempt to avoid legal restrictions on cannabis use.

The health effects from using synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable and harmful; even life threatening. Anyone who has a serious reaction to synthetic cannabinoids should call 911 or go immediately to their hospital emergency department.
Synthetic cannabinoids can cause severe illness including:- Heart Attack, Strokes, Kidney Failure, Breathing Problems, Seizures, Gastrointestinal Problems, Rapid Heart Rate, High Blood Pressure, Muscle Damage and sadly even Death.

A quantity of suspected cocaine was also seized, following these searches.

One male has now been arrested and detained at Nenagh Garda station.

Further investigations are continuing into the sale and supply of these products.