‘MINISTER WAS HORRIFIED OVER ABDUCTION’
Mum of boys taken in Egypt gets meeting
One fine was for €92,000 over breaches of health and safety law.
The second was for €81,000 for an administrative fine.
Cops said the workers had only just arrived in the area and were working on tarmacing a road when they were challenged.
The incident is the latest in a line of cases all over Europe of alleged Irish scammers.
Italian cops have previously arrested more than a dozen Irishmen all over the country on suspicion of being involved in the infamous tarmac scam.
The gangs always use the same tactic: they go door to door offering cheap tarmac work.
The leader tells homeowners his team has just carried out work for the local council and has asphalt left over.
He then offers to lay asphalt at a low price, too good a deal to refuse.
The gang then tarmacs over the requested area — but it is of such poor quality that it washes away when it rains.
Collopy (44) of St Ita’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick, had thrown the package out of the car and had tried to impede a garda in his duties on the day, gardai said in an earlier hearing.
He was jailed in January 2023 for six years with the
AN Irish mother whose two children were abducted by their Egyptian father said she is “appreciative” Justice Minister Helen McEntee finally had a meeting with her.
Mandy Kelly, who is from Monaghan but lives in Louth, hasn’t seen her two young boys Zayn, five, and three-yearold Kareem in over two years.
Her ex-partner Ramy Gamal Maamoun Mohamed locked her in an apartment while they were on holiday in Cairo in 2022 and kidnapped the children, who are Irish-born citizens.
Mandy said her ex-partner has requested €500,000 for the return of her children, and she has spent around €35,000 in legal fees trying to get them back.
The 38-year-old has not seen or heard from her babies since they were abducted and has been pleading with the Government to intervene.
In a letter seen by The Star, Minister McEntee told Mandy two months ago that while her department is aware of the case, they can only assist in those where children have been removed from this jurisdiction to a country that has signed up to the 1980 Hague Convention, and Egypt has not.
Warrant
Mandy reported the shocking kidnapping of her children to Dundalk gardai and has been waiting since 2022 for the DPP to issue an international arrest warrant.
Minister McEntee finally agreed to meet with Mandy yesterday and the heartbroken mother said the politician was “horrified” by her situation.
She said: “I had quite a few hurdles to go through to secure the meeting and
He said Magill had “no trappings of wealth”, was of “material assistance” to Gardai, and entered an early guilty plea which prevented the requirement of a lengthy trial.
The judge noted that Magill had “no previous convictions”, he was “hardworking”, and he was likely “coerced” by others.
He jailed Magill for six years with the final 18 months suspended on one count of possessing the drugs for sale or supply.
Magill agreed to keep the peace for six years upon release from jail.
I felt it very important that she heard my story.
“I am incredibly appreciative of the fact that she could see the elements that other officials have ignored, such as the fact that my children and I were basically human-trafficked out of the country for the proceeds of a crime.
“She was horrified with the fact that there was a cash ransom on my children and the lengths that I have had to go to to get this far.”
The mother said Ms McEntee agreed to “address the issue” that there is no bilateral treaty on child abductions between Ireland and Egypt. A spokesperson for Ms McEntee said: “I met with Mandy Kelly today and heard about her incredibly difficult situation.
“I expressed my admiration for her resilience. I also assured her of the Government’s ongoing support, which of course includes DFA consular assistance.”