Latest news with #JudgeComerford
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (28) jailed after being caught with €300k worth of cocaine
A judge has imposed a nine-year three-month prison term on a 28-year-old west Clare man after he was caught with just under €300,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis. At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed the 111-month prison sentence on Stephen Healy of The Hand, Cloonalheen East, Miltown Malbay for 'repeated drug trafficking' and 'offending of the highest order'. Advertisement Judge Comerford imposed a 66 month sentence for the possession of cannabis and cocaine valued at €230,470 with the intent to sell or supply on July 11th 2023 at a property at Drumatehy, Connolly, Co Clare. Judge Comerford imposed a 45 month prison term consecutive to the drug dealing offence for a money laundering charge concerning €40,645 on the same date. Described in court previously as a 'typical country lad' by his solicitor, Daragh Hassett, Mr Healy evaded capture on July 11th 2023 but was arrested by gardaí on August 13th 2023 after a second drugs swoop by gardaí on the same date where Gardai recovered €37,212 worth of cocaine and €31,568 in cannabis at a mobile home at Furoor Upper, Kilkee in west Clare. Judge Comerford said that 'these types of crime cause great harm to society'. Advertisement Judge Comerford said that Mr Healy 'was holding the money for drug dealers'. At Garda interview, Mr Healy said that he was looking after the drugs and cash as he had a drug debt to pay off. Mr Healy - who entered guilty pleas to the charges - told the Gardai 'I am ashamed and I deeply regret it'. The offending occurred during a previous 20 month suspended sentence imposed on Mr Healy for drug dealing. Advertisement Judge Comerford said: 'A very significant aggravating factor in the case is that a person who was afforded a very significant opportunity to turn away from criminality commits further offences relating to drug dealing while that suspended sentence is in place." At the sentencing hearing, Det Sgt Dara O'Sullivan described Mr Healy as an "integral part of a drug trafficking operation that was going on in this case'. Counsel for Mr Healy, Lorcan Connolly SC told the court that Mr Healy lived at home with his mother and received the carer's allowance to look after his mother who requires the use of a wheelchair. Mr Connolly said that Mr Healy is very close to his mother, who he said, has her own health difficulties. Advertisement On Mr Healy, Mr Connolly said: 'That is not someone who is high up in the drugs trade. He is someone who has nothing." Mr Connolly said that 'the mobile home wasn't his, the house wasn't his and vehicles weren't his' and that Mr Healy "was acting under duress" when handling the drugs and money. Mr Connolly said Mr Healy was 'previously subject to an assault by dark forces and his mother's house was damaged'. Mr Connolly read out extracts of a letter from a former employer of Mr Healy who said that the accused 'is not a bad person but is someone who has made bad choices'. Advertisement The businessman said that Mr Healy faces a lengthy prison sentence ahead but added that he will do all he can to support him 'and I will take him back into employment when he is released'. The employer said: 'I have paid thousands of euro to these horrible people to get them off Stephen's back.' Mr Connolly also handed in a written personal plea from Mr Healy's mother and he described the letter as 'genuine and from the heart'. Mr Connolly said Mr Healy is a father of two young children with the youngest only born a few months ago while Mr Healy was in custody. Mr Healy has been on remand in custody since last November. Mr Connolly said that Mr Healy 'assures me that he really wants to turn the corner and really wants to have a bright future'. Judge Comerford backdated the sentence to last November.
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Judge in Niall Gilligan assault case tells jury to make 'fresh start' in deliberations
The judge in the Niall Gilligan assault case has asked the jury in the case to make 'a fresh start' in their deliberations this morning. At Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday, Judge Francis Comerford sent the jury out at 10.40am to resume their deliberations. Advertisement In the case, Mr Gilligan (48) of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge denies the assault causing harm with a stick of a then 12-year-old boy at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Sixmilebridge on October 5th 2023. On Tuesday, the jury deliberated for 2 hours and 47 minutes before they returned to the court just before 5pm, and the jury foreman asked Judge Comerford: 'What is the next step if we are not unanimous?' In court this morning, Judge Comerford told the jury: 'I would ask you a fresh start and consider matters again and talk through the issues." Judge Comerford told the jury if they have a question or want to communicate any difficulties, they can come back into court. Advertisement Judge Comerford said that he would call the jury back in the course of the morning to confirm where they are and consider whether to move on to the next stage or not. On Tuesday, Judge Comerford told the jury: "It is always preferable that you try to reach a unanimous verdict - that is the ideal and it is better than any alternative." The jury commenced their deliberations at 12.33pm on Tuesday, and before they commenced, Judge Comerford told them that they should make their decision in the case 'after a cold, direct, forensic determination of the facts'. In his closing speech to the jury on Monday, counsel for Mr Gilligan, Patrick Whyms BL, said in no way is Mr Gilligan trying to suggest that he was entitled to punish the boy as was suggested and said that the injuries sustained by the boy 'are clearly regrettable'. Advertisement Mr Whyms said that on the evening at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Mr Gilligan 'didn't know that he was dealing with a child and did not create this situation'. Mr Whyms (instructed by solicitor, Daragh Hassett) said that Mr Gilligan "was at the end of his tether" by the vandalism being done to a vacant property he was trying to sell. Putting forward the defence of reasonable force against the charge, Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan was at the Jamaica Inn hostel on the night of October 5th 'in the dark and believed that he was under siege'. He said: 'Believing himself under threat and needing to protect himself and his property, Niall Gilligan needs to make an instant decision, and so we are here." Advertisement Mr Whyms said, 'And Mr Gilligan, a family man who has young children and no previous convictions, gives a clear story which hasn't changed and an entirely credible, fulsome account of what happened." Earlier in her closing speech on Monday, Ms Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) told the jury: 'This is a story of a man who lost his cool.' She said: 'Instead of picking up the boy after he slipped and bringing him out to his car and driving him home and telling his parents, he hit him and lost it and he was angry and frustrated.' Ms Comerford said that the alleged assault in broad daylight 'is the action of a man who took out his anger and frustration on a child. There is no evidence that his injuries were caused by anything other than his interactions with Niall Gilligan.' Ms Comerford said that Niall Gilligan 'lost control and punished the boy for the damage and inconvenience caused to his property on a morning when he had to clean up human faeces and urine from his property'.
BreakingNews.ie
22-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Jury retires to consider verdict in Niall Gilligan assault case
The jury of seven men and five women has retired to consider its verdict in the assault case against former All-Star and Clare All-Ireland winning hurler, Niall Gilligan. At Ennis Circuit Court on Tuesday, the jury commenced its deliberations at 12.33pm after Judge Francis Comerford told them that they should make their decision in the case 'after a cold, direct, forensic determination of the facts'. Advertisement Judge Comerford told the jury that what they have to decide is was there an assault and is it not an assault because of a lawful excuse. In the case, Mr Gilligan (48) of Rossroe, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, denies the assault causing harm with a stick of a then 12-year-old boy at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Sixmilebridge, on October 5th, 2023. In his charge to the jury on Tuesday, Judge Comerford directed if they are satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that the first encounter between Mr Gilligan and the boy that led to the force being applied commenced and started outside the two-storey Jamaica Inn rather than in the corridor of the building, then they can't consider the lawful use of force as a defence. Judge Comerford also told the jury in the defence of self-defence they should consider did the accused honestly believe that he had to use force for the purpose of protecting himself from an assault or damage to his property. Advertisement Judge Comerford said that if the answer is 'no', the defence of self-defence is no longer available to the accused. He said that if the answer is yes, then was the force used by the accused reasonable and necessary in the circumstances as he saw them. He said that if the answer is 'yes' to that question, 'then you must acquit. If no, it wasn't reasonably necessary, well then he is guilty of the offence.' Judge Comerford said that the jury can only apply this test if they are satisfied that the first encounter was outside the two-storey building. Advertisement In his closing speech to the jury on Monday, counsel for Mr Gilligan, Patrick Whyms BL, said in no way is Mr Gilligan trying to suggest that he was entitled to punish the boy as was suggested and said that the injuries sustained by the boy 'are clearly regrettable'. Mr Whyms said that on the evening at the Jamaica Inn hostel, Mr Gilligan 'didn't know that he was dealing with a child and did not create this situation'. Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan "was at the end of his tether" by the vandalism being done to a vacant property he was trying to sell. Putting forward the defence of reasonable force against the charge of assault causing harm, Mr Whyms said that Mr Gilligan was at the Jamaica Inn hostel on the night of October 5th 'in the dark and believed that he was under siege'. Advertisement He said: 'Believing himself under threat and needing to protect himself and his property, Niall Gilligan needs to make an instant decision, and so we are here." Mr Whyms (instructed by solicitor, Daragh Hassett) said: 'And Mr Gilligan, a family man who has young children and no previous convictions, gives a clear story which hasn't changed and an entirely credible, fulsome account of what happened." Mr Whyms said to the jury: 'Did Niall Gilligan use such force as was reasonable in the circumstances as he believed them to be, and if he did, then no offence was committed.' Earlier in her closing speech on Monday, Ms Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) told the jury: 'This is a story of a man who lost his cool.' Advertisement She said: 'Instead of picking up the boy after he slipped and bringing him out to his car and driving him home and telling his parents, he hit him and lost it and he was angry and frustrated.' Ms Comerford said that the alleged assault in broad daylight 'is the action of a man who took out his anger and frustration on a child. There is no evidence that his injuries were caused by anything other than his interactions with Niall Gilligan.' Ms Comerford said that Niall Gilligan 'lost control and punished the boy for the damage and inconvenience caused to his property on a morning when he had to clean up human faeces and urine from his property'. The jury has taken a break in their deliberations for lunch and will resume their deliberations at 2pm.
