Man keyed pub owner’s car in revenge for being removed
A man who admitted keying a pub owner’s car and causing almost ¤4,000 worth of damage has been given a month to come up with ¤750 in compensation.
Before Sligo District Court was 20-year-old Eamonn Mullarkey of Derry, Grange who was charged with keying the ‘04 reg Mercedes of Mr John Jordan at Carrigeens, Ballinfull on 2nd October 2016.
Inspector Paul Kilcoyne told the court that Mullarkey had been at a function in Jordan’s pub in Maugherow on the night in question.
He said that at 2am Mullarkey was in the car park across from the pub when he took a key from his pocket and keyed the car, causing ¤3,972 of damage.
He added that the car was also urinated on by other individuals who had “been dealt with.”
Mr Jordan’s daughter witnessed the incident.
The court heard Mullarkey had no previous convictions and had brought ¤360 to court as compensation.
Mr Tom MacSharry, defending, agreed it was “a particularly nasty offence” but Mullarkey had made “full and voluntary statements to Gardaí.”
“He apologised as soon as he could. He’s unemployed and on a computer course. He would say he wasn’t acting on his own but accepts his own part,” he told the court.
Mr MacSharry said Mullarkey and others had been removed from the bar and “decided to take it out on the owner’s car.”
“It’s vindictive in the extreme to damage a car with a key. It requires a particular form of hatred and ill-temper of people to do that,” said the judge. He adjourned the case to 26 th October to allow Mullarkey time to gather ¤750.