Law « Thurles Information

Man Arrested In Templemore Railway Station, Found In Possession Of Imitation Firearm.

A man, understood to be aged aged in his 20s, was taken into Garda custody in Co Tipperary yesterday, after he was found to be in possession of what is now believed to be an imitation firearm, observed on the Dublin to Cork train near Thurles.

Gardaí were alerted and responded to the incident on the train at Templemore Railway Station in Tipperary at 6:50pm on Friday evening last.

Reports suggest that the male had been observed on the train with a firearm. Local uniform and plainclothes Gardaí initially attended the scene, assisted by the Armed Regional Support Unit. The male was quickly identified and searched by Gardaí, who found the man to be in possession of what is now believed to be an imitation firearm, subject to a proper technical examination.

The man was arrested for questioning in connection with the incident, under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939. Further investigations are now continuing.

It should be noted that here in Ireland, where a person, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the onus of proving which shall lie on him or her), has a realistic imitation firearm with him or her in any public place, that person shall be guilty of an offence.

Thurles Resident Receives Suspended Sentence Following Assault On Elderly Pensioner.

A former resident of Croke Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary has avoided an eight month prison sentence, following an assault which occurred at an acute psychiatric unit, on 81 year old patient Mr Gearoid McHugh, leaving latter victim with a brain injury.

Thirty four year old, Mr Brendan McCormack appeared before Ennis Circuit Court, having previously pleaded guilty to the single charge of assault.

Mr Justice Francis Comerford, in sentencing, stated that he accepted that Mr McCormack was struggling from a psychotic episode, when he punched Mr McHugh, while in the acute psychiatric unit, at Ennis General Hospital, on April 24th, 2019 last.
Mr McCormack was only in the acute psychiatric unit some three hours previously, having been brought there by Gardaí as an involuntary admission, and prior to the assault taking place.

Mr McHugh with an address at Quin, Co Clare, was already extremely ill, prior to the assault and sadly passed away almost 5 weeks later, on May 28th, 2019.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Comerford stated that it had not been established that there was any acceleration brought about leading to the death of Mr McHugh, as a result of the single blow from Mr McCormack.

Judge Comerford, however, did imposed an eight month suspended prison term on Mr McCormack, with the condition that he remain under the care of his local mental health services and absent himself from the continuous use of both illegal drugs and alcohol.

In terms of mitigation Judge Comerford stated that there was no premeditation, no weapon and it was a single blow.

Man Charged With Murder of Thurles, Co. Tipperary, Soldier.

A man has been arrested and charged with murder, following the death of a Tipperary man, at his home in west London last weekend.

Mr James ‘JJ’ Donnelly aged 45, and a native of Childers Park, Thurles, Co Tipperary was located dead at his home in Station Road, Hayes, Hillingdon, London, after police were called to his address, around 10:00am on Saturday July 15th last.

We understand Mr Donnelly was located at the address with a slash wound, before being pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the discovery, police officers arrested a man a short time later, named as Mr Leo Price, with an address at Blair Close, Uxbridge, on suspicion of his murder.

The 22-year-old accused was taken to a west London police station where he was later charged with one count of murder and three counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

The deceased Mr Donnelly is a former member of the Irish army and served as a peace keeper overseas.

Visa-Free Travel Further Suspended For People With Refugee Status.

Government extends temporary suspension of the operation of the European Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees (Council of Europe).
Visa-free travel arrangements for Ukrainian nationals fleeing the war unaffected.

The Government has decided to extend the temporary suspension on the operation of the Council of Europe Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees, to be reviewed in 12 months. The suspension, which in effect means that people with refugee status require a visa to travel to Ireland rather than travelling visa-free with their Convention Travel Document, was originally introduced in July 2022.

The decision to introduce visa requirements for those with refugee status was taken in light of evidence of people applying for asylum in Ireland, who had already received refugee status in another European country. The Government agreed last year to review the suspension in 12 months.

The visa-waiver arrangements for people fleeing the war in Ukraine remains unaffected.

Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Mr Micheál Martin TD, said “This decision has been taken by Government in the context of unprecedented pressures on our international protection system. It is not a decision taken lightly but it is the right one for Ireland at this time to ensure the integrity of our immigration system, to avoid any undue pressure on systems that are already under strain and to make sure that those who need protection in Ireland can get it and get it quickly.”

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee said: “This is a carefully considered decision that we believe is necessary to protect the integrity of Ireland’s immigration system in the context of continued pressures on our international protection and accommodation systems. The visa waiver I introduced for people fleeing to Ireland from Ukraine remains unaffected. Ireland’s commitment to protecting and assisting those in need remains steadfast. We are committed to upholding our international and EU obligations towards international protection applicants and refugees.”

Ireland continues to see high levels of applications for international protection when compared to pre-pandemic levels. Before the suspension of visa free travel arrangements was introduced in July 2022, there was a 191% increase in applications by the end of June 2022 compared to the same period in 2019.

Notwithstanding the increase in applications, the International Protection Office has made significant progress in increasing the numbers of decisions made and significantly reducing processing times.

Minister McEntee also recently updated Cabinet on the modernisation programme and also on the accelerated procedure for applicants from safe countries of origin.

Last November, new accelerated procedures for those who arrive in Ireland from safe countries seeking International Protection were introduced.
The changes have ensured that a first instance decision is made within three months in such cases, a significant reduction from a norm of 17 to 24 months last year. The numbers arriving from these countries has significantly decreased.

Since last November, the numbers arriving from these countries have decreased from 210 applications in November to 64 in May this year – a drop of almost 70%. It should be emphasised that the continued imposition of a visa requirement will not prevent travel to Ireland by 1951 Convention document holders. Genuine travel plans will be facilitated through standard visa arrangements.

Since the introduction of the suspension, there have been 803 Convention Travel Document visa applications, of which 697 were granted and 105 refused.

Limerick Killer Wayne Dundon Attacks Tipperary Jailed Inmate.

Limerick murderer and drug dealer Mr Wayne Dundon has been detained on the punishment landing of Portlaoise Prison. Mr Dundon was transferred from Mountjoy jail following a fight with fellow 27 year old Tipperary prison inmate Mr Stephen Coveney Ryan on Monday morning, July 10th last.

The fight we understand, which turned into a mass brawl, saw a blade being produced; forcing prison staff to immediately intervene. The brawl ended with four prison staff being hospitalised with non serous slash wounds, while Mr Coveney Ryan, is understood to have sustained a slash wound to his neck, requiring some 20 stitches.

An Garda Síochana were notified following the event, which prevents the Irish Prison Service from further commenting on their ongoing investigation.

Mr Dundon is regarded as one of the most volatile prisoners ever, within the current prison system, and is serving a life sentence since 2014, for the murder of innocent Limerick business man and arcade owner Mr Roy Collins, back in 2009. Mr Dundon is regularly caught in posession of mobile phones, using same reportedly to mastermind plans, from behind bars, to regain his control of the drugs trade on the south side of Limerick City. On arrival at Portlaoise prison, not surprisingly, he failed a high security metal test and is suspected to be carrying a mobile phone internally.

Tipperary man Mr Coveney Ryan is currently serving a four year sentence, having pleaded guilty to trying to choke his pregnant girlfriend and threatening to chop her up, after she refused to eat a meal he had cooked.