This article is from page 17 of the 2013-10-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
A 22 YEAR-old man who used a catapult to break car windows in Newmarket on Fergus earlier this year has been ordered to personally apologise to the injured parties.
Joe Conroy smashed car windows in the Island View, Ennis Road and Glen an Aifreann areas of Newmarket on May 19, Ennis District Court heard on Wednesday. Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the accused used a catapult and marbles to cause € 705 worth of damage to three cars.
The court heard Mr Conroy had not paid compensation to the owners. Mr Conroy, with an address at The Island, Cratloe, pleaded guilty to three charges of criminal damage.
Defence solicitor Jenny Fitzgibbon told the court that her client had been under “severe pressure” in his personal life at the time the offences were committed. She said Mr Conroy acted “very stupidly” on the day.
“He didn’t hold back. He admitted his culpability. He admitted his stupidity”, she added. The court heard Mr Conroy worked as a metal fabricator after leaving school. Judge Patrick Durcan said his first priority was for Mr Conroy to pay compensation and show remorse.
“There will be a conviction in this matter but the issue is whether there will be a prison sentence,” he added.
Adjourning the case to January 8 (2014) for review, Judge Durcan said he expected Mr Conroy to have half of the compensation paid to the car owners by that date.
“I also want to be satisfied that he makes contact, personally, with the three injured parties”, he added.