A part-time fisherman from Ballina, who fired a stone threw the window of a family home, as he believed that he was having an affair with their daughter, appeared before Ballina District Court on Tuesday for criminal damage charges.
Stephen Rooney, Castle Lacken, Carrowmore Lacken, Ballina, admitted throwing the stone through the Langan family home in Carrowcur, Ballycastle, on October 12 2008 at 10pm. The Langans were watching TV in the sitting room at the time, and no one was injured.
Solicitor for Rooney, John Gordon, said that €150 compensation has since been paid to fix the window and that his clients actions came out of the belief that he was having an affair with the daughter of the family, which had caused some tensions between the parties. Judge Mary Devins asked if this was a “virtual reality” relationship. Mr Gordon said that Rooney has previous convictions, with one conviction arising out of a “same obsession” with another person, and had a problem with alcohol.
Sergeant James O’Toole told the court that the defendant had not bothered the Langans since. Judge Devins adjourned the matter to April 2010 for sentencing.
