Judge warns feud in Clonmel won't be tolerated as nine men appear before him at Cashel Court

Nine men appeared before Cashel District Court today (Thursday, April 3) charged with committing criminal damage and trespass offences last week at Railway Cottages, Powerstown, Clonmel with Judge Brian O'Shea ruling the case is too serious to be heard in the district court.

Eight of the accused were remanded on bail to appear before Clonmel District Court in a month's time with Judge O'Shea attaching strict bail conditions, including a night-time curfew, and warning them this “feud going on in Clonmel is not going to be tolerated”.

“If anyone at all breaches any of the terms of their bail, I want them back here before me as fast as you can. I am not going to have a situation where there is an ongoing feud that is escalating," he advised investigating gardaí. 

Before the court were Michael O'Reilly, aged 45, of Cahir Road Roundabout, Clonmel; John O'Reilly, aged 48, of 5 Heywood Road Halting Site in Clonmel; James O'Reilly, aged 45, of Bay 3 Heywood Road Halting Site, Clonmel; John Paul Reilly, aged 21 and Edward Reilly, aged 30, of No. 2 Railway Cottages, Powerstown Road, Clonmel; Thomas Reilly, aged 36, of Bay 2 Railway Cottages, Powerstown Road, Clonmel; Thomas Reilly, aged 68, of Bay 3 Wallers Lot, Cashel; James Reilly, aged 41 of No. 2 Wallers Lot, Cashel and Darren O'Reilly, aged 29, of 19 Cascade Park, Clonmel.

John O'Reilly is charged with damaging a caravan trailer belonging to James Hutchinson at 1 Railway Cottages, Powerstown Road, Clonmel on March 18 while the other eight accused men are charged with causing criminal damage to a caravan/mobile home belonging to James Hutchinson at the same address on either March 17 or March 18 or between both dates.

Three of the accused Michael O'Reilly, John O'Reilly and James O'Reilly are charged with entering No. 1 Railway Cottage as trespassers and committing an arrestable offence.

The other six accused are charged with entering No. 1 Railway Cottage as trespassers and causing criminal damage there. The dates of the trespass offences are also either March 17 or 18 or between both dates. 

Judge O'Shea refused jurisdiction for the case to be heard in the district court after Garda Sergeant Carol O'Leary gave a brief outline to the court of the evidence that will be alleged in the case.

Sgt. O'Leary, on behalf of the prosecution, objected to Darren O'Reilly's bail application. Garda concerns that the father-of-five may interfere with witnesses in the case and may fail to attend court hearings were among the grounds of objection.

Mr O'Reilly gave a commitment in the witness box not to make any contact with witnesses in the case and to attend all court hearings but after considering both the defence and State arguments in the bail application, Judge O'Shea refused bail and remanded him in custody to appear before Clonmel District Court next Tuesday, April 8.

There was no Garda objection to bail in the cases of the other eight accused men. Judge O'Shea remanded each of them on their own bail of €100, with no cash lodgement required, to appear before Clonmel District Court on Tuesday, May 6.

Judge O'Shea attached five conditions to their bail. They include that the accused have no contact directly or indirectly with any witnesses, in particular Ellen, Patrick and James Hutchinson abide by a nightly curfew between 10pm and 8am, commit no further offences while on bail, refrain from intoxicants and remain sober at all times in public and report any changes of address to Gardaí within 24 hours.

The Judge agreed to defence solicitor Eamonn Hayes' application for the curfew condition to be relaxed in the case of John O'Reilly on occasions he has to attend hospital in Cork overnight for treatment for an ongoing health condition and directed that he have an appointment letter in his possession to show Gardaí.

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