A district judge has praised gardai for catching Dublin based criminals committing crimes in the west. Judge James O'Sullivan said gardai in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, in particular had brought an extraordinary number of "marauding criminals" before him in recent times.
In Eyrecourt District Court yesterday, the judge jailed a Dublin man for a year on charges of being in a stolen car near Ballinasloe earlier this month. Anthony Carolan (19), of Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght, was given a concurrent 12 month sentence for possession of timber clubs. Carolan was arrested with a 17 year old accomplice, Steffan Cullen, from Fatima Mansions, Dublin, as they left a petrol station near Ballinasloe without paying. Cullen was put on probation for two years when the judge was told he had no previous convictions.
In another case before the same court, Vincent O'Shea (17), of Belcamp Green, Coolock, was jailed for a year for stealing a handbag containing £150 in Ballinasloe last March.
