Family row led to criminal damage

A 65-year-old man who smashed up his sister-in-law’s husband’s car as part of ‘ongoing issues’ between them and who walked away from the scene, went home and ‘waited for the inevitable’ has been fined for criminal damage.

Details of the incident, which happened at and address in Annagassan, were heard at Dundalk District Court at an earlier sitting. Gardai said that on April 4, they received a report of criminal damage to a VW Jetta car belonging to Peter Boylan. The lights had been smashed, there were two holes in the driver’s door and a dent in the roof.

Gardai spoke to the car owner who said they had seen James Doyle, Willistown, Drumcar go to the back of the house where the car was parked and smash it up with an iron bar. He then left the scene. When Gardai spoke to him a short time later at his home, he admitted the criminal damage.

Barrister Ronan O’Carroll said that after the offence, Doyle ‘went back home and waited for the inevitable, for the Gardai to arrive’.

The barrister said the incident ‘ has a context’ and there is a long-standing family feud. But the investigating Garda said she wouldn’t describe the situation like that and said there are ‘difficulties or issues’ between Doyle and the victims.

Mr O’Carroll said his client, who has no previous convictions, said there was ‘an attempt made of an olive branch and when this was refused, he simply lost it. It’s completely out of character, it was quite extreme the nature of what he did’.

The case had been adjourned to last week for a probation report.

Solicitor Eleanor Kelly said the incident happened as part of ‘a family dispute that got out of hand’. She said Doyle had ‘ learned a very valuable lesson’.

Judge Brennan imposed a €100 fine and initially ordered Doyle to pay €8,000 in compensation, but Ms Kelly said she understood the victim’s insurance had paid for it and the judge cancelled the compensation order.