Jail for mucky duo who were up to no good

Two suspected burglars, who were found soaking wet and covered in muck, told Gardaí they were in Galway late at night having affairs with married women.

Members of the armed Regional Support Unit, along with Detectives Gerry Carroll and Ronan Leonard, responded to a call from a Castlegar resident that a 4×4 with two occupants was acting suspiciously in the area.

They carried out a search and stopped Declan Meehan (44), and Sean Hogan (39), both from Cork City, in a two-seater jeep at Twomileditch, Castlegar, at 2.50am on May 10 last year.

Hogan was driving the jeep, while Meehan was a front seat passenger.

Gardaí found a crowbar, two bolt cutters, numerous Stanley knives, gloves, screwdrivers and several small torches thrown on the floor between the two seats.

Both men pleaded not guilty before Galway District Court to being found in possession of the implements with the intention they be used in connection with theft/burglary.

Hogan did admit driving without insurance or a driving licence on the night because he was already disqualified for ten years.

After hearing evidence during the fully contested hearing, Judge Mary Fahy said it was clear that the Cork men were not in Galway that night for ‘romancing and dancing’ and she sentenced both of them to twelve months in prison for having the implements in their possession.

She imposed an additional four-month sentence on Hogan for driving without insurance while already disqualified, and disqualified him from driving for ten years.

Garda Leonard told the hearing he searched Meehan at the scene and found gloves, a torch and a Stanley knife in his jacket pocket.

He said he asked the men what business they had in Galway at that hour of the night and they said they had gone for a spin and ended up in Galway.

“Both of them were soaked and covered in muck. It was a bad night and it was evident they had been out in the elements,” he added.

They were arrested at the scene and the jeep was seized.

They were finger-printed, photographed and DNA samples were taken from them at the Garda station.

Meehan replied ‘no comment’ to every question during interview the following morning.

Det. Carroll told the hearing he arrested Hogan at the scene.  He found two electrical testers and a number of blades in his possession.

Hogan, he said, could offer no explanation why he and Meehan were in Twomileditch at that hour of the morning.

Judge Fahy observed the testers could be used to check if house or business alarms were working.

Hogan said he was wet and mucky because he had got out of the jeep to go to the toilet at the side of the road.

He changed his story while giving evidence in court, claiming the van belonged to his brother who was a roofer and he used the tools in his line of work.

When asked by his barrister, Garry McDonald, why he was in Galway that night, Hogan replied: “To be honest, it was a sexual matter and I can’t say anymore without embarrassing someone.”

Mr McDonald asked him was he having an affair.

“Yes, but I don’t want to mention the woman’s name. I feel ashamed I was having a relationship because the woman concerned is married,” Hogan replied.

Meehan had 90 previous convictions for mostly motoring offences.

Hogan had 102 previous convictions, also for mostly motoring offences and had been given a five-month suspended sentence and ten-year disqualification in 2017 for driving without insurance in Cork.