Garda operation succeeds in snaring slippery serpent

AN illegal immigrant who is believed to have jumped ship was taken into garda custody yesterday morning.

The slippery American was discovered by a man walking his dog near the grotto by the Marina in Cork city at around 9am.

The dog was spooked by something in the grass and when its owner went to investigate he discovered a 6ft long snake in the grass.

He contacted gardaí in Blackrock and minutes later Garda Ger Harrington and his colleague Gary Cashman arrived on the scene and put the snake into a bag.

Garda Harrington posed bravely for the cameras with his unusual prisoner, without knowing at the time if the reptile was poisonous.

He was relieved to find out a few hours later, when delivering it to the Cork Animal Home, that it was a harmless corn snake. They are usually found in overgrown fields, forests and abandoned buildings in the south-eastern US ranging from New Jersey to the Florida keys and as far west as Texas.

“I suppose you could say he’s one of the most unusual visitors we’ve had in Blackrock garda station.

“Although we have had goats in the cell and horses in the backyard,” Garda Harrington said.