Teen in kick-boxing classes warned not to let judge down

This is the 18-year old that a judge has ordered to complete a kick-boxing course to get over his fear of local drug barons.

Yesterday at Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan heard that Ethan Mahony continues to make good progress in the kick-boxing classes he has been taking since last November.

In response to the judge asking “are you able to look after yourself?”, Mahony replied “yes”.

Judge Durcan made his initial order that Mahony, of Shalee Drive, Cloughleigh, Ennis, attend the kick-boxing classes last November and allocated €200 from the court poor box in December to help fund the classes.

Mahony previously told the court he was unable to leave his home because of a dispute with another person. The youth is before the court in relation to a string of offences that he has pleaded guilty to including thefts in Ennis and north Clare including the unauthorised taking of a bike.

Judge Durcan said previously Mahony’s “problem was that he was afraid to go down the town because the big drug barons were there and they were bigger than he was”. The judge went on: “I said ‘right, he better get on with a self defence course’. Insp Tom Kennedy didn’t agree with that order at all.”

Insp Kennedy described the ‘kick-boxing as “a new departure”.

In court yesterday, the judge said: “This is our kick-boxing man and the case where I gave the unusual medicine which Insp Kennedy wasn’t happy with.”

Judge Durcan asked Mahony “are you behaving yourself?” and Mahony replied “yes”.

The kick-boxing programme covers 25 sessions and Insp Kennedy said there have been no new incidents involving Mahony. He said it was a good idea to adjourn the case to October to see how Mahony gets on.

Adjourning the case to October 21 at Ennis District Court, Judge Durcan warned Mahony not to step out of line between now and then. He told Mahony: “Don’t let me down.”