Search Results for 'Criminal justice'

by Dr Michael M. O’Connor

If you had told me in 2019 that the next year of my school life (and possibly the year after) would be dominated by masked teachers, Microsoft programmes, and a laptop at the kitchen table, I would never have believed you. I’ll never forget the day we were told that we would not be attending school due to the pandemic. Someone from a few desks away announced how he was going to throw a massive party to celebrate “getting a few days off” – it didn’t take long for that to become a party of one. When going into lockdown for the first time I felt as if it was unlikely that I would learn anything. How wrong I was.

A 17-year-old boy appeared in court in Longford on Tuesday this week charged in connection with a shooting incident that took place in Athlone on Saturday night, November 18.

Togo is a small country about the size of Ireland. It is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been ruled by the same family for almost 50 years. The justice system is severely under-resourced and the prison system a direct reflection of that. The Central Prison of Lome was built for 600 people. It currently holds over 2,000. Each cell, roughly the size of your average Irish kitchen, holds about 80 people. To sleep only some prisoners get to lie down, side by side like in a sardine can. For this privilege you pay. The rest have to sit around the edge of the room or stand. There is one toilet and shower (ie bucket) per cell. Prisoners are served one meal a day. On average prisoners wait 3-4 years to receive their sentence. Legal representation is mostly absent. Aggression, violence, rape, abuse, bullying and intimidation are the norm. One man described inside as being like a war zone.

Longford-Westmeath Independent Alliance Deputy, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, says the introduction of new stricter bail terms for repeat serious offenders will help cut crime – especially in rural areas.

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, has urged local organisations in Mayo who are working with victims of crime to apply for the 2017 Victims of Crime Funding Scheme. He said: "This week, my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, announced the 2017 Victims of Crime Office funding scheme for organisations working with victims of crime. The work that these organisations do, here in Mayo and across the country, to reduce the trauma experienced by victims of crime and to help them to move on with their lives is vital. I am proud to support their invaluable efforts.

A Claremorris man who was sent forward for trial to the circuit criminal court on criminal damage and theft charges was remanded in custody until the trial this week. Tomas Kuksta was served with the book of evidence against him before the sitting of Castlebar District Court on Tuesday morning last.

A man serving a 22-month sentence who appeared in court this week (October 9) to plead not guilty to 15 further counts of burglary changed his plea when told all he could get was just another two months in jail.

An Athlone man charged with false imprisonment has been remanded in custody pending trial at the Circuit Court.

A 32-year-old man has been charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a woman late last year.