Gardai held a ‘Day of Action’ with a total of 25 bench warrants executed in the Letterkenny District.
Officers swooped to carry out a series of arrests early on Monday morning. Arrests were made in the Letterkenny and east Donegal areas.
Those arrested were brought before Judge Éiteáin Cunningham at Monday’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court.
They included Tommy Connors, a 40-year-old of Canal Road, Letterkenny, who was arrested by Garda Patrick McDermott at 8.25am on Monday on foot of a bench warrant.
Connors is charged in relation to alleged offences at Canal Road, Letterkenny in May, 2019. He is charged with while appearing to be about to commit an offence, criminal damage stating that he would break the windows and doors in the course of a dispute, produced an iron bar.
He is charged with, on another date in May 2019, while commuting an offence, violent disorder in the course of a fight/dispute, produced an article, namely a brush shaft.
Connors is also charged that he and others used or threatened to use unlawful violence and such conduct, taken together, was such as would case a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another persons’ safety.
Connors is also charged with causing criminal damage to the front door of a property at Canal Road, Letterkenny, in December 2019.
Stephen McCarthty, aged 33 and with an address at Cnoc Ard, Mountain Top, Letterkenny was arrested at Cnoc Ard at 9.10am.
He is charged with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned in April, 2023 at Cnoc Ard.
Solicitor Mr Patsy Gallagher told the court that a ‘change of address’ was the reason for McCarthy’s previous non-appearance.
The matter was adjourned until July 17, 2023.
Tina Connors, aged 24 and with an address at Canal Road, Letterkenny was arrested at 8.43am on Monday.
Judge Cunningham asked Connors why she had bench warrants issued and noted that she had not appeared before a Court in Limerick either.
“I wasn’t in Limerick at the time,” Connors said, adding that she is now living in Letterkenny again.
Judge Cunningham said: “It’s a very serious matter. The Court can take a certain view. It’s very important to attend Court – wherever that Court may be.”
Connors is charged with a theft from Kelly’s Centra at Mountain Top, Letterkenny in February 2022 and faces theft and criminal damage charges relating to an alleged incident at TK Maxx in Letterkenny in October, 2021.
Connors is due before Letterkenny District Court again on July 6.
Thomas Reilly, a 20-year-old of Canal Road, Letterkenny, was arrested by arrangement on foot of two bench warrants, the court heard.
Reilly is charged over alleged incidents at Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, in September 2021.
He is charged with obstructing a Garda, with being intoxicated in a public place and he faces a further charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned.
Travis Lafferty, a 23-year-old of Beechwood Grove in Convoy faces a charge in relation to an alleged theft at St Bridget’s Crescent, Drumkeen in March 2020.
Lafferty was bailed to appear again before the court on July 17, 2023. Sergeant Gerard Dalton told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that the matter be dealt with summarily in the District Court.
