Thursday, February 03, 2011

Presbytery thieves "totally out of control," says judge

A Wexford court had heard that two teenagers broke into a priest’s house and robbed €5,000.

The youths were described as “totally out of control” by District Judge Donnchadh O Buachalla.  

He remanded the pair, aged 16 and 17, on bail, telling them to do “meaningful chores” at home until he would see them again.

They were making their first appearance in court but had previous misdemeanours that had been dealt with under the juvenile liaison scheme. 
 
The youths had broken into the home of Tagoat parish priest Fr Matthias Glynn (pictured) and took €5,000 in coins and small notes - the proceeds of the Christmas church collection - and four bottles of whiskey.  

Two Gardaí apprehended the youths after investigating the break-in at Fr Glynn’s house and found one of the accused with a sackful of coins.

As bail conditions, the judge imposed a curfew on the pair from 7:00pm to 8:00am, said they must stay off alcohol and drugs and stay away from a shop where their behaviour had given rise to complaints.

The mothers of the two youths also gave evidence, with one saying that her son had done jobs around the house and the second reporting a “tiny change” in her son’s behaviour.

“I know they are totally out of control – the place they should be is in prison,” Judge O Buachalla remarked, as he remanded them on bail for a further week.