Ireland’s Eye - a round of top Irish news stories

A sampling of news from around Ireland

“I would hope that he would get his previous position restored to him and the income he has lost compensated. To my mind the whole thing is just spectacularly dreadful.”

Smith has also received vocal support from the prominent gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell who said that the court case was “a victory for free speech and fair play.”

He said, “Adrian Smith is entitled to his view and should never have been demoted.  Adrian’s opposition to religious organizations being forced to conduct same-sex marriages is shared by the prime minister and the equality minister, the gay rights group Stonewall and the entire leadership of the Church of England. If Mr. Smith is guilty, then they are all guilty.”
- Belfast News Letter

Stole Girlfriend’s Dog

A man who stole his ex-girlfriend’s dog and threatened to “cut off its head” if she didn’t speak to him was ordered to stay away from the Montpelier, O’Brien’s Bridge and Newport areas.

Conor O’Sullivan, 35, of Killarney, pled guilty to stealing the dog from the woman’s home last February 25, and to harassing his former partner over a three month period earlier this year.  He also pled guilty to a charge of trespassing at the home of his former girlfriend.

Garda (police officer) Inspector Seamus Ruane told Limerick Court the defendant entered the back garden of the woman’s home in the Montpelier area and stole the black and white border-collie whose name is Izzy.

He said the defendant had been in a relationship with the woman for a number of years, but that it had ended a number of weeks before the incident “at the behest of the defendant.”

Ruane said there had been a number of “particularly nasty type incidents,” prior to the theft of the dog, and he said O’Sullivan had “commenced phoning and texting” the injured party following the break-up.

“The intervention of the Gardai seems to have brought the defendant to his senses,” said Ruane, who told the court O’Sullivan contacted the injured party after he stole her dog.

“He threatened that he would cut off the dog’s head if she didn’t speak to him” he said.

Solicitor John Herbert disputed this allegation. “To the best of my knowledge that was not done, there was no threat,” he said.

Herbert agreed the incident was bizarre and he said his client had been under a lot of pressure around the time of the offenses.

“He wasn’t able for it [the break-up]. It was serious and it should never have happened,” he said.
The court was told O’Sullivan, who has no previous convictions, had cooperated with Gardai and that he had made admissions following his arrest.

He added that there was “an ownership issue” in relation to the dog as it had been given to his ex-girlfriend by members of his client’s family.

Judge Eugene O’Kelly said he was willing to adjourn the case for review in six months time.
- Limerick Leader

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Nster.com