Cattle rustler ‘shunned locally’ over thefts

A cattle rustler who stole cattle from an elderly neighbour is being shunned in his local community by former friends and acquaintances.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Padraig O’Brien, aged 42, of Maghereigh, Mountshannon, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to 15 separate counts of stealing cattle from his farming neighbour, John Ford, aged 74, between May 2013 and January 2015.

In court, counsel for Mr O’Brien, Patrick Whyms BL said a psychiatric report records how former friends and acquaintances “will no longer talk to Mr O’Brien” because of the offences.