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A FORMER Irish international snooker player who a Judge said could go all the way to the world championships has been sentenced to six months in prison.

Bernard Casey (25) received the jail term after pleading guilty to theft and public order related offences.

After being told the former Irish youth international snooker player is back playing snooker Judge Patrick Durcan said “he could end up at the Crucible or anywhere”.

But addressing the accused’s solicitor, Judge Durcan said, “However the other side of the coin is that your client engaged in the most serious criminal behaviour.”

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Casey, with an address at St Joseph’s Park Nenagh, Tipperary, pleaded guilty to handling a stolen Canon camera at Emerald House, Toberteascain, Ennis on June 20, 2014. Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court Mr Casey was arrested after it was discovered he had tendered the stolen camera to a property exchange outlet in Ennis.

Mr Casey also pleaded guilty to engaging in behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace at Station Road, Ennis, on June 21.

Insp Kennedy said gardaí found Mr Casey in an intoxicated state. The court heard he and a group of people were causing a disturbance. Insp. Kennedy said the accused turned his attention on one Garda and called him a “dirty f****** scumbag”.

Mr Casey also pleaded guilty to a public intoxication offence in Shannon town centre on July 31.

Mr Casey has 41 previous convictions including for public order and theft offences. Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client is a father of two who left school at the age of 16.

She said Mr Casey has suffered from serious drink and depression problems for most of his life. She told the court Mr Casey said he bought the stolen camera for € 30 from a man in a homeless hostel.

Ms. Godfrey said her client is “very apologetic”. She said Mr. Casey iscurrently clean and sober and doing his best to avoid the triggers that lead to criminal behaviour.

Ms. Godfrey told the court her client represented Ireland in snooker and is back playing the game.

Mr. Casey told the court he has not drank alcohol in f ve weeks. Ad dressing the Judge, he said;

“If you give me an auld chance today, I promise to God you won’t see me in this court again or around Ennis again”.

Judge Durcan said this was a diff cult case. He said the court, on the one hand, had to consider the diff culties Mr Casey has experienced. He noted the accused also has a young family.

“However the other side of this coin is that your client engaged in the most serious criminal behaviour”.

Judge Durcan said there would be no market for stolen goods if people were not willing to handle stolen goods. “Those who handle commit a far more serious offence than those who steal”, he added.

“Someone who engages in the handling of stolen property, in my view, engages in the most terrible criminal behaviour”, the Judge said.

Judge Durcan imposed sentences totalling six months and f ned Mr Casey € 200. Addressing. Ms. Godfrey, Judge Durcan said, “I do hope when your client comes out again he will have found his time in prison benef cial”. In the event of an ap peal, recognizances were f xed at Mr Casey’s own bond of € 250 and an independent surety to be approved by the court of € 500.

THREE men who damaged the car of a woman attending a religious ceremony in Ennis have each received prison sentences after failing to pay compensation to their victim.

Michael Doherty (52), Patrick Doherty (35) and James Galbraith (46) were convicted in November (2013) of criminal damage.

They were ordered by Judge William Early to pay € 7000 compensation to the victim. Judge Early said if the money was paid, he would recommend a six month suspended sentence for each accused.

The case was adjourned to Febru- ary (2014) when the men were given eight months to pay compensation.

The three men appeared back before Ennis District Court on Wednesday where their solicitors said there was “no reality” to compensation being paid. Judge Patrick Durcan initially said he was reluctant to impose f nals orders on a case heard by another Judge.

But after being told, Judge Early had f xed recognizances in the event men chose to appeal the decision.

Judge Durcan activated six-month sentences in respect of each accused.

Michael Doherty and James Galbraith intend to appeal the orders.

Michael Doherty and Patrick Do- herty, both with addresses at St Michael’s Park, Ballymaley, Ennis and James Galbraith, formerly of Lissaniska, Ennis and now living in Bettystown, Meath, all denied the charge of criminal damage at Drumcliff graveyard on March 24, 2013.

In November 2013, Ennis District Court heard mother of two Kathleen Maughan was visiting her husband’s grave when her Ford Focus car was damaged in a violent incident at Drumcliff.

Ms Maughan told the court she saw three men armed with slash hooks and hatchets alight from vehicles and attack her car on March 24, 2013.

Ms Maughan, who is from Ennis but now lives in Cork, was one of a group of 20 people attending a blessing of the graves ceremony.

After hearing the evidence, Judge William Early said;

“I believe the evidence of Ms Maughan. I believe she is telling the truth, therefore it must follow that I f nd them guilty as charged.” Judge Early said it seemed to be the case that Ms Maughan was a “victim of one of these wretched family feuds that are all too common in the Traveller community”.

There was a heated conclusion to the hearing of the case when f urry of insults were f red at Ms Maughan from people sitting in the gallery. TODAY A b right sunny st art , cloud ing ove r lat e r b ut d r y, t e mp s 13c

A NEW cross-boarder approach to managing the future of the Burren could be in the off ng – with a pro posal being f oated to establish a united front between the Burren low lands and the Burren uplands. The Burren lowlands, which are centred around Gort and predominately in County Galway has been one of the hardest hit areas in Ireland following the recession. Indeed, a survey of rural economies compiled by Teagasc earlier this this year found that Gort had lost more then 400 jobs and in excess of 12 per cent of it’s population in the f ve years af

John Doherty, who previously lived in Ennis but now has an address at Belcamp Lawn, Coolock, Dublin, is charged with two offences. Mr Doherty is accused of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned. He is further charged with assault. It is alleged Mr Doherty committed the offences at Ennis Courthouse on October 1. Court business had f nished for the day by the time Mr Doherty was brought before the court but Judge Durcan resumed court for the brief hearing. Garda Paul Heaslip of Ennis Gar da Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He said Mr Doherty made no reply to either of the charges after caution.

Legal aid was approved for defence solicitor John Casey.

Mr Casey said he had no questions regarding the arrest, charge and cau tion of his client. However he was said he was applying for bail for Mr Doherty. Inspector Tom Kennedy said the State consented to bail subject to the accused abiding by certain con ditions. Mr Doherty is required to reside at Belcamp Lane, Dublin and stay out of Clare except for court business. He was also told to stay away from Michael McDonagh. Bail was granted subject to the ac cused’s own bond of 500 euros. Mr Doherty was remanded on bail to ap pear again at Ennis District Court on November 12. Two years ago Mr Doherty suffered multiple slash wounds when he was the victim of a vicious knife attack at the Maid of Eireann roundabout in Ennis.

A MAN has appeared in court charged with stealing a woman’s handbag at a shopping centre in Shannon.

Patrick Kinnane (31) with an address at Galvone Road, Kennedy Park, Limerick, is accused of stealing a hand bag and a wallet containing € 30 at Lidl, Tullyvarraga, Shannon on September 24.

Mr. Kinnane appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Tom Kennedy handed a schedule of the arrest, charge and caution of Mr. Kinnane to the court.

Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett asked that his client not be put on his election at this stage in proceedings. Mr Kinnane can elect to have his case heard in the District Court or tried before a Judge and jury in the Circuit Court.

Mr Hassett said he required time to seek disclosure from the State. Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned the case to November when the issue of court jurisdiction will be determined.

The accused is also expected to indicate how he intends pleading to the charge at the next court date.

Mr Kinnane was remanded on bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on November 19.

A NUMBER of vital local projects may now be put on hold following the decision to cut the property tax in Clare by 15 per cent.

Councillors at last Friday’s special meeting of Clare County Council voted by a majority 17 to 10 in favour of introducing the full 15 per cent cut available to the local authority.

The decision means people who valued their house at € 100,000 or less will receive a reduction amounting to roughly 23 cent per week – but the council will lose € 1.56 million in funding for services.

Ahead of the vote, the executive of council circulated a list of possible outcomes to councillors – depending on how the vote went. This document listed 20 separate projects, located in each of the four electoral areas, that would not be possible if the full 15 per cent reduction was applied.Mayor of Clare, John Crowe (FG), said yesterday that it was inevitable that services would be effected.

“There is no doubt that people will suffer. We were talking about € 1.5 million to be split between the four electoral areas – we all know about the massive list of jobs that are waiting to be done across the county with estates to be taken in charge, lighting to be repaired and services provided. The € 1.5 million would have had a big impact on the work we could do, but when you break it down, it would have meant less than € 30 a year to the 91 per cent of people on the lower rate, which isn’t a lot,” he said.

Fine Gael and number of independent councillors voted against the reduction with Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and the majority of independents voting for the reduction.

“Our budget is very risky at this stage. We have so many services that are crying out for funding – with road, hedge cuttings, libraries, and our beaches – and I saw this as funding that we could use at our discretion to provide these services better,” said Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind).

“I would not like to describe what motivates anyone else to vote, but I will not engage in auction politics. I will always take the decision that I feel is in the long-term benef t of the county and I feel that this would have been a better county if we had that money to spend on vital services.”

with mini baby booms.

The recent downturn in the number of Clare babies being born appears to be affecting girls rather than boys. While the number of Clare boys being born remains largely consistent – 208 in the f rst quarter of 2013 compared to 208 this year – the number of female births has dropped dramatically. According to f gures obtained from the CSO the number of female babies born in Clare has fallen by almost 9 per cent in just 12 months. The overall birth rate from the county has fallen from 14.1 last year to 13.5 so far in 2013.

Despite the reduction in the number of children born in Clare this year the overall population in the county continues to rise at a relatively steady rate. A total of 211 Clare people died in the f rst three months of this year – much less than the 396 people who were born during the same period.

community in Cooraclare for their attempts to save the life of a local farmer earlier this year.

Family and friends rushed to the aid of Jude Pyne after he collapsed outside his home at Tiernaglohane, Cooraclare, on April 13. The 63 yearold died after suffering a heart attack, an inquest into his death found last week.

At Clare Coroner’s Court, County coroner Isobel O’Dea paid tribute to the people who attempted to resuscitate Mr Pyne.

“Well done on your efforts and my deepest sympathy to all of you,” Ms O’Dea told family and friends.

The deceased’s nephew, Noel Lillis, told the inquest he received a call between 6pm and 7pm to say his uncle had been found outside his house.

Mr Lillis said he found Mr Pyne lying on the ground near his tractor. He said the tractor was off and the bailer was down.

The inquest heard that local man Joe Kelly went to Mr Pyne’s aid with a def brillator. Mr Kelly said an am bulance arrived at the scene and he continued to provide CPR. Mr Kelly said the incident happened very suddenly and that Mr Pyne had not fallen from his tractor.

Dr Eamon Ralph pronounced Mr Pyne dead at the scene at 7.14pm.

Dr Elizabeth Mulcahy told the inquest the autopsy was performed at University College Hospital, Limerick. She said there were signs that Mr Pyne may have suffered a previous

A MAN who pleaded guilty to a public order offence at a housing estate in Ennis has been sentenced to three months in prison.

James Sherlock (45), with an address at 41 Dromard, Lahinch Road, Ennis, admitted a charge of failing to comply with the direction of a garda.

The charge arose from an incident at the Dromard estate on March 10, 2014.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Sherlock received sentences totalling three months. He received a one-month sentence for the incident at Dromard.

Judge Patrick Durcan also activated two months of a suspended sentence imposed last year.

Mr Sherlock is appealing the sentences. Details of the offence at Dromard were heard in court on Tuesday.

Garda Barry Comer of Ennis Garda Station told the court gardaí were called to Dromard following a number of complaints about noise.

Garda Comer said the noise from a car radio was “causing signif cant disturbance” for residents.

Garda Comer said Mr Sherlock came out to the car when gardaí entered the estate.

“He was quite unhappy with our presence,” Garda Comer said.

The court heard that when gardaí asked for the music to be turned down, Mr Sherlock turned the music up louder and warned his children not to turn it down. Judge Durcan said to Garda Comer, “he was trying to prove he was king of the castle”.

Sentencing was adjourned to Wednesday, as the offence was committed while Mr Sherlock was still under the terms of a suspended sentence.

On Wednesday, Judge Durcan activated two months of that sentence. The court was told that Mr Sherlock has 15 previous convictions including for assault and theft.

Defence solicitor John Casey told the court his client is “not the most popular man in the estate, putting it mildly”.

He said Mr Sherlock was upset that someone had complained about the noise.

Mr Casey said there a large number of houses in the Dromard estate that are rented.

Mr Casey said his client would say there are often loud parties and his client never complains about the noise.

“He was not trying to prove he was king of the castle…He reacted badly when the gardaí came up.”

Judge Durcan imposed a one month consecutive sentence. Recognizance’s were f xed in the event of an appeal in respect to both sentences.

AN AMALGAMATION of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Fein and Independent councillors voted to cut property tax rates in the county by the full permissable amount of 15 per cent for 2015.

The cut means means people who valued their house at € 100,000 or less will receive a reduction amounting to roughly 23 cent per week or € 12 per year, while those whose homes are valued at over € 300,000 will see their tax bill fall by up to € 90 per annum.

As a result of the decision, a number of vital local projects may now be put on hold following the decision to cut the property tax in Clare by 15 per cent.

Before the vote councillors were told that the reduction in the tax rate could see the Council having € 1.56m less to spend on local projects and services.