Violent disorder man must avoid area

A man involved in a violent disorder incident in Youghal, Co Cork, had the balance of an 18-month jail sentence suspended on condition he would stay away from a housing estate where the offence occurred.

Joseph Lewis pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to a charge of engaging in violent disorder at Chestnut Drive, Youghal, on September 11, 2015. He had already served between eight and nine months in prison because of breaches of bail conditions.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin imposed an 18-month jail sentence yesterday with the remainder of that term suspended on condition he would stay away from Chestnut Drive and, in particular, from Tony Hogan and his family in that estate for two years.

Detective Garda Thomas Keane said the accused and others had engaged in the violent behaviour, leading to members of the Hogan family being assaulted and put in fear in the driveway of their own home.

Lewis was not arrested until the following October 1 at New Ross, Co Wexford, when he was stopped as a result of a road traffic incident. While he was given bail on the charge, he repeatedly breached the bail terms by returning to the Chestnut Drive area.

John Devlin, defending, said things were remaining quiet in the area in recent times and there had been no further incidents of such violence. The judge commented: “Yes, things have remained quiet because Joseph is not there.”

Mr Devlin said Lewis, who is aged around 30, was residing at an address at Blackwater Heights and also at an address on Mall Lane, both in Youghal.

Donal McCarthy, prosecuting, said Lewis had a suspended jail term of three years hanging over him from Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court when a sentence of six years, with the last three years suspended, was imposed in November 2012.

He said it would now be a matter for the courts in Clonmel to decide what action to take as a result of the Youghal incident.