Illegal hunting charges dismissed as Cork man ‘turning his life around’

The judge ordered the accused to make a donation of €1,000 to the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The courthouse in Macroom heard that trhe defendant was 'for the first time in his life free of alcohol'. File picture: Dan Linehan

Charges brought against a Cork man of unlawful hunting or entry on land and failing to keep a dog under control in public as well as not wearing a seatbelt where dismissed at a recent sitting of Macroom District Court.

The charges relating to illegal hunting brought against DJ O’Driscoll, aged 29, of Lower Codrum, Macroom, Co Cork, related to an incident at Wood Road, Carriganine, Macroom, Co Cork, on July 23, 2024.

A previous hearing heard that gardaí had received a call from a landowner about three males with dogs trespassing on land in the area. When gardaí were travelling to the scene they met Mr O’Driscoll on the public road with a lurcher dog that was not under control.

O’Driscoll said he had permission from one landowner to hunt but not from the neighbouring landowner and his dog had strayed onto the neighbouring land and he had gone after it.

The landowner told gardaí that O’Driscoll and two other males had been on the land without permission.

O’Driscoll, who had 66 previous convictions, appeared before Judge Andrew Cody. His solicitor Patrick Goold told the court that O’Driscoll had completed a residential treatment programme for alcohol addiction since his last court appearance and was continuing to receive aftercare.

Mr Goold said O’Driscoll was “for the first time in his life free of alcohol”. He said his client had severe alcohol dependency issues which had led to ongoing problems with criminality. 

The court heard that O’Driscoll was now working full-time with a local company and had made significant progress in addressing his issues.

After reading a probation report and a report from the alcohol treatment centre, Judge Andrew Cody said it was clear O’Driscoll was making efforts to address his problems. 

The judge said that “anyone who is turning their life around deserves a bounce of the ball” and dismissed the three charges subject to the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). 

The judge ordered O’Driscoll to make a donation of €1,000 to the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals by July 15, 2026.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme