Crisis as more homes hit

TWO homes within a two-mile radius of where a farmer was burgled and savagely beaten earlier this month, were broken into on the night his community gathered to discuss the damaging effect of rural crime, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.

One of the of the attempted burglaries happened in Sharavogue and the other in Fortal, both within a short distance of where Richie McKelvey was attacked in Coolderry, Co. Offaly.

The burglars were forced to flee before they had a chance to take anything in both instances. Commenting on the recent crimes, Sinn Féin TD Carol Nolan called for ‘extra gardaí in Offaly where the whole situation has reached crisis point’.

She added: ‘We cannot have a situation where someone is murdered. There are reports that farmers are bringing loaded shotguns into their bedrooms at night. There is the concern that this is going to escalate.’