NEWS ROUND-UP
Woman, 35, stole envelope in post office
A Sligo woman who pleaded guilty to stealing €560 from another woman in the local post office last year has been fined €300 at the district court. Jessica Brennan, 35, of Caltragh Crescent, Caltragh, admitted stealing €560 belonging to Tina Cawley at the Post Office, Castle Street, on May 8 last year.
Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said that a medical report on the defendant was in court.
Inspector Pat Harney told the court that the injured party had left an envelope behind her on the counter and the defendant took it and its contents.
She was later identified on CCTV and made admissions. The defendant had previous convictions for road traffic matters and one for a drugs offence, the court heard.
All funds were recovered. Mr MacSharry said it was a serious matter. The defendant had a number of difficulties at the time, was very sorry and had sent an apology to the injured party.
And she also wanted to make a full apology in court. It was a “moment of madness” at a time when she had “severe mental health issues”. The solicitor said that Brennan had made an early plea and co-operated with gardaí. Judge Kevin Kilrane said an aggravating factor was that the theft was in the post office, which is like a bank and is like a sanctuary where people can do their business. Anyone who interferes in that sanctuary should go to jail.
The judge said the defendant had medical difficulties and may have additional problems as well. There was no pre-meditation, and it was an opportunistic type of crime. The money was left, and this lady saw her chance and “grabbed the money”.
The judge fined the defendant €300.
Suspended jail terms for road traffic offences
A Letterkenny resident has been given concurrent suspended jail sentences after he pleaded guilty to a number of road traffic offences at Sligo District Court.
Ionat Luncan, Cullion Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, pleaded to charges of drunk driving, driving with no insurance and driving with no licence at Munninane, Grange, on July 26 last year. A charge of dangerous driving was struck out.
Inspector Pat Harney told the court the defendant was stopped by gardaí at 3am on the date in question.
The defendant had three previous convictions for no insurance and one for dangerous driving, the court heard. Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said the defendant realised that these were very serious matters. He had made an early plea. He was originally from Romania and had been in this country for eight years. The defendant had worked at car washes. He was not currently working but would seek work.
The solicitor said the defendant would not be driving for a long time.
The defendant was fully co-operative with gardaí. Judge Kevin Kilrane noted the previous convictions and said the defendant was out driving again while drunk and with no insurance. Mr MacSharry said the defendant knew he was facing a lengthy ban and prison but asked that the father of a young child not be sent to jail. He would try and get work if he got a chance, the court heard.
Judge Kilrane jailed the defendant for four months on the no insurance charge, which was suspended for two years on condition that he was not convicted of any road traffic offence in that period.
The judge gave an identical sentence on the drunk driving charge.
A charge of having no licence was taken into consideration.
Charges of failing to produce licence and insurance were struck out.
The defendant was released on his own bond of €100.
Next year’s students’ union officers elected
The election of the IT Sligo Students’ Union officers for the next academic year was held last week. Five students were selected by their peers in a vote that was held online. Daire Martin, who is studying Sports and Business, was elected president of IT Sligo Students’ Union. Keelan Kennoy and Saskia Dooley were elected vice-presidents of education and welfare respectively. Clodagh O’Brien was elected clubs and societies officer. Hannah Brennan was named quality officer. James Lawlor Kerr was named campaigns officer.
The final results were declared by returning officer Breffni Gorman in a Zoom call with the candidates.
Following the election results, outgoing students’ union president Jason Quinn said: “Congratulations to all of our candidates who have been elected. I would like to thank Breffni for being our returning officer and to thank everyone who voted over the past number of days.
“It has been a difficult year and I am delighted to see we were able to hold these elections in some format. The very best of luck to the team for next year and I look forward to our crossover period.”
16-year-old was speeding on N17
Last Friday, gardaí stopped a speeding motorist who subsequently was found to have no licence.
The car was stopped in Ballymote on the N17 in relation to speeding in a 50km/h zone. The motorist did not have their licence and proceeded to provide gardaí with details. Using a Garda mobility app, they confirmed at roadside that the details were false. It was soon established that the driver was only 16 years old and as a result could not have a driving licence or insurance.
The youth’s parents were also in the car and had allowed him to drive.
The car was seized and proceedings will now follow in relation to the road traffic matters for both the driver and the owner of the vehicle.
Man, 19, who had knuckle duster is fined
A young Sligo man who was found with pepper spray and a knuckle duster during a row with his older brother has been fined €100 for possession of the knuckle duster at the district court.
Mark Sweeney, 19, from Sunset Drive, Cartron Point, pleaded guilty to having the items on April 16, 2019, at Lord Edward Street.
Inspector Pat Harney told the court the items were found on the defendant during a row between two brothers. The defendant was a juvenile at the time.
Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said his client was in a dispute with his older brother and gave gardaí full co-operation. He did not use either item. The solicitor said the defendant had the items as he had an issue with other youths at the time. He understood that carrying these items were serious matters. Inspector Pat Harney said the defendant was “in fear of other individuals.”
Judge Kevin Kilrane noted that a knuckle duster was for offence rather than defence. The defendant had public order offences after the matter before the court.
Judge Kilrane said having a knuckle duster was a serious offence. He fined the defendant €100.
‘Bridge’s wall can be knocked with your hand’
The wall of a bridge in west Sligo was in such bad condition that “your could knock it over with your hand”, a meeting of Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District was told. Cllr Michael Clarke had sought an update as to when works will be carried out on widening bridges at Trawee and Taylor’s Bridge, Doonflin Upper, Skreen.
He was told that the Enniscrone area engineer will widen the bridge at Trawee by approximately 600mm to allow more traffic pass more easily there but there were no plans to widen the bridge at Doonflin Upper at present. Cllr Clarke said he was disappointed with the reply in relation to Doonflin because he said that bridge was “strategic” in terms of that road being used as a diversion if the N59 was closed because of an accident or something else. But he said that in the event of a diversion a lorry could not use that road.
He said the bridge was also in very bad condition.
“One of the walls is going to fall in in the next few months. It is only two foot high and you could knock it over with your hand. It’s a health and safety risk.”
He said this was a “serious issue” because he said that a lot of farmers were unable to use that road when towing machinery because it was so narrow and they have to make a detour of eight to 10 miles.
Sligo activist to be speaker for May Day event
Political and trade union activist Pat Fallon will be the guest speaker at this year’s annual May Day ceremony in Sligo, which takes place this Saturday, May 1, at 7pm.
The ceremony, which is held under the auspices of People First and Independents4Change, traditionally takes place at the site of the Lynch memorial plaque in New Street in Sligo, however, to comply with national guidelines, the event will again be held online this year. Mr Fallon, a native of Sligo, is a long-time political activist. He was a strong supporter and advocate of the marriage equality and repeal campaigns. He is a former national chair of the Connolly Youth Movement and former president of the Impact trade union. He is an officer of the Sligo Council of Trade Unions and he is the honorary secretary of the Connolly Forum. Cllr Declan Bree is encouraging people to view the online event which will be streamed on his Facebook page at 7pm on May Day.