Men in feud had gone to mediation
THREE men including a father and son who appeared at Sligo Circuit Court arising out of a row that took place in O’Connell Street on October 14 th 2014 had undergone mediation to resolve their differences.
At Sligo Circuit Court last week, Judge Keenan Johnson praised the offices of the probation service for intervening and organising the mediation.
At a previous sitting of the court, Francois De Poix (45) and his son Reece De Poix (18) of St Edward’s Terrace, Forthill along with Oisín Gethins ( 22) of Garavogue Vill entered pleas of guilty to committing violent disorder.
Judge Johnson told the court that the mediation had been a success.
“They have all shaken hands so that will be a relief to the people of Sligo that there won’t be a repeat of this incident.
“Great credit goes to the probation officer who undertook the mediation.
“Mediation has got these parties who were on opposite sides of a feud to shake hands and to put this matter behind them,” he said. in respect of Gethins who had engaged fully with the mediation process. Passing sentence, the Judge said he was satisfied the offending would attract a jail term of five years but he would reduce this to three years and six months. He suspended this term for five years on condition the defendant keep the peace and be of good behaviour for five years. He was also ordered to continue to engage with the probation service for 12 months.
“You hold the keys to prison in your own hands, make sure you don’t activate that sentence,” Judge Johnson told Gethins. With regard to Francois De Poix, the Judge noted that he too had engaged with mediation process. A three year jail term was imposed, suspended for five years. No further probation service supervision was needed in this case added the Judge.
The case against Reece De Poix was adjourned for sentencing to the next sittings of the Circuit Court in February to allow the defendant undertake regular urine analysis for drug screening.