Ireland's Eye: What's going on in the old sod this week

A look at news from around Ireland

Needed to Steal Car
A MAN who crept into a Listowel family's home through an open kitchen window in the middle of the night before taking car keys and driving off in the family's Honda Accord has been jailed for nine months.

James Bailey of Limerick appeared before Judge Mary O'Halloran at Listowel District Court, charged with burglary and the unauthorized taking of a car on July 4/5 of last year.  He pled guilty to both charges.

Inspector Fearghal Pattwell said Bailey got into the home of Sean and Louise Moriarty through an open kitchen window and took the keys to the couple's black Honda Accord. He then drove off in the car, which was later recovered, undamaged, in Limerick.

The court heard Bailey had 10 previous convictions.

His solicitor told the court that Bailey, 23, had traveled to Listowel from Limerick earlier in the day with a friend who was seeing a local woman.  In Listowel, Bailey received news that a family member had been assaulted and was in Limerick Regional Hospital.

Bailey asked his friend to take him back to Limerick but the friend was unable to drive as he had drink taken. Unable to secure a lift, Bailey decided to break into the Moriarty home when he saw the kitchen window open.

His solicitor said the crime was in no way pre-planned and added that Gardai (police) had actually discovered the car parked outside his client's home. No damage was caused to the car, nor was any damage caused to the home, he said, adding that Bailey regretted the incident and had cooperated fully with Gardai.

Bailey was sentenced to nine months on the charge of burglary and four months, to be served concurrently, on the charge of taking a car without authorization.

The Kerryman

Ratty Bread Dump
LOCAL residents have condemned the dumping of tons of bread just outside Drogheda, which has led to a rat infestation in the area.

Those responsible for the dumping, which has become an ongoing issue, have yet to be identified, but Louth County Council said it is investigating the issue.

Tons of unwrapped bread has been dumped in the ditches on the side of the road at areas including Blackhall, Beaulieu, Sandpit and Banktown.

“It is absolutely disgusting because it turns to mulch and it attracts a huge amount of rats,” said local resident Sarah Finegan.

“You can actually see the holes where the rats have burrowed through. The smell from it is absolutely disgusting and a real blight on the landscape.”

The area around the Blackhall Road in Termonfeckin has become infested with rats after the bread was dumped along the side of the road.

Finegan said the dumping has been ongoing for a number of months, since last Christmas, with more bread dumped once the previous lot has turned rotten.

“The dumping itself occurs every two to three weeks, so just as the bread has turned into sludge a fresh batch is left. It started late November/early December of last year so the community is fed up at this stage,” she said.

​
Nster.com