Four men and one woman appeared in court this week charged in connection with the theft of power tools worth more than €30,000 during a spate of recent burglaries at various locations throughout Galway and Roscommon.
Patrick Power (20 ) of 3 St Oliver’s Park, Clover Hill Road, Clondalkin, Martin Mongan (24 ) of Cluide, Corrandulla, John Francis Mongan (26 ) of 9 Ballyowen Lane, Lucan, as well as husband and wife Peter (36 ) and Mary Maughan (30 ) of 9 Ballyowen Lane, Lucan, Dublin, were brought in custody before Galway District Court on Monday where investigating gardai gave evidence of arrest, charge, and caution.
The men were charged on Sunday, April 13, with the theft of power tools from businesses in Galway city, Mountbellew, and Roscommon on April 7 last, and with the theft of an Ifor Williams trailer from a premises in Ballinasloe on April 11. The men along with mother of two, Mary Maughan, were charged with handling a stolen trailer, worth €2,800, and the power tools worth more than €25,000, at Balgreen, Julianstown, Co Meath, on April 12. All of the accused made no reply after charge and caution.
The court heard how all five were arrested by gardai in Galway who were assisted by the organised crime unit and emergency response unit. The accused were arrested at the toll booth on the M1 and brought to various Garda stations where they were detained for questioning and later charged with the alleged offences.
Detective Inspector Mick Coppinger made strong objection to bail in relation to all five accused due to the seriousness of the offences. Judge Mary Fahy refused the men’s bail applications and remanded them in custody to appear in court again yesterday. They were then further remanded in custody to appear at Harristown District Court on April 25.
Taking into account the fact that Mary Maughan has two children, Judge Fahy remanded her in custody with consent to bail on own surety of €800, one half to be lodged and an independent surety of €8,000 to be lodged in its entirety by independent party to be approved by the court. Further conditions are to provide a permanent address, surrender her passport, and not to apply for a new passport or other travel documents, remain in the jurisdiction pending completion of the case, and sign on at Clondalkin Garda Station daily. Also appearing in court yesterday Mary Maughan was further remanded with consent to bail to appear again on April 28 and an application was made to the High Court in relation to the bail conditions.
