Pensioner forced to flee home by thieves

A couple left a vulnerable pensioner “in a state of absolute fear”, forcing him to leave the home he loved and move into HSE accommodation.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keyes sentenced Jonathan Kenny, aged 25, of Elm Drive, Kilrush, and his girlfriend, Marie Linnane, aged 19, of Griffin Rd, Kilrush, to three years with the last year suspended for obtaining monies by deception from Paddy Quane, aged 67, last November in Kilrush, Co Clare.

Kenny is to serve an additional year in jail as the crime was committed while he was serving a suspended jail term.

In evidence, Garda Conor Flaherty said that during a burglary on Mr Quane’s home on November 9, Mr Quane’s car vanished and five days later, Kenny and Linnane called to his house driving it.

Garda Flaherty said that Kenny asked Mr Quane for €1,200 after telling him that his car was in need of repair. An additional €600 was demanded as Linnane wanted to go on a “shopping spree” in Ennis.

Garda Flaherty said they made the demand for the money after seeing Mr Quane’s Credit Union book on the table and that Mr Kenny said Mr Quane would be in trouble if he did not give them the money.

Mr Quane was “very frightened” of the couple at this stage. They accompanied him to the local credit union in his car where he withdrew €2,300, including €400 for himself.

Garda Flaherty said that after Mr Quane withdrew the money, he gave it to Kenny, who returned €400 to Mr Quane. However, Linnane said €600 was not enough and 20 minutes later they returned to the credit union where Mr Quane withdrew an additional €300 and gave it to Linnane.

Garda Flaherty said Mr Quane did not want to give the car to Kenny but was told to get out of car and walk home.

Mr Quane was warned not to report what happened otherwise “a baseball or a hurley would be used against him”.

Three or four days later, the couple demanded a further €100 from Mr Quane when they said they were hungry.

Garda Flaherty said the theft only came to light when Kilrush District Council reported damage done to Mr Quane’s house and gardaí investigated.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Quane said Kenny and Linnane “made my life hell”.

He said: “Since these people started calling to me, they have my life hell. They bullied me and threatened me and stole my money and my car.

“They were always threatening me with violence not to call the gardaí. I was scared of them. They would just take my car when they felt like it.”

The retired fisherman said Kenny “would even punch me in my arm to scare me”.

He said he had left his house because of the intimidation and would never go back. He said he felt safer now.

The court heard that Kenny and Linnane are drug addicts and Kenny has 47 previous convictions.