A TRAVELLER allegedly involved in a funeral fracas has appealed his bail conditions in order to travel with his family for the summer.

Martin McDonagh (30), The Big Isle, Manorcunningham, Letterkenny appeared at Castlebar District Court last month along with his five brothers who were all charged with assault causing harm which allegedly occurred at a family funeral in Ballyhaunis on May 16.

It is alleged that the brothers committed assault causing harm on their cousin Thomas McDonagh at Abbeyguarter, Ballyhaunis, at the funeral of Martin ‘Red Breast’ McDonagh.

The brothers were given bail with certain bail conditions which included to comply by a curfew, surrender their passports and sign on three days a week in Letterkenny Garda Station.

McDonagh appeared in court however to lodge an application to change some of the bail conditions to allow him and his family to travel around Ireland and the UK for the summer months.

The court heard that if the application was successful the father of four planned to leave with his family.

McDonagh told the court that because he was a member of the traveller community he had travelled around Ireland and the UK all his life.

McDonagh told the court that if his children, aged 12, 8, 5 and 2, weren’t in school he and his family would travel all year round.

Asking about McDonagh’s brothers’ plans to travel, McDonagh said they too would travel ‘if you agree [to similar bail changes].’

Judge Devins said she was amazed that the 30-year-old was making the application ‘relying on your ethnic status’.

Superintendent Michael Cryan told the court that Mr McDonagh had failed to appear in court four times over the past ten years and that once he leaves the jurisdiction An Garda Sióchána would have ‘no control’.

Replying to this, defending solicitor Ms Cathy McDarby said her client could flee the jurisdiction if he wished, as is the close proximity of his home to Northern Ireland.

Judge Devins made no decision on the application but said McDonagh could renew the application next month when he will appear again with his brothers.

A Donegal garda harassed a female sergeant by sending her a Valentine’s Card, emails and a friend request on Facebook despite numerous warnings from his superiors not to have any contact with her.

Geraldine Small BL, prosecuting, told a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that the fact Garda Donal Maguire harassed the woman is not disputed but rather the jurors have to determine if he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time.

Gda Maguire (40) of Rock Road, Bundoran, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of harassing the woman at a location in Dublin on dates between February 18 and March 11, 2012 and between August 1, 2012 and February 4, 2013.

The Irish Independent reports that Detective Superintendent Walter O’Sullivan outlined the facts of the harassment to the jury.

He said Gda Maguire first met the sergeant at the Dublin Garda Station he was working from in 2011. She believed there was nothing personal in their interaction.

He sent the woman a Valentine’s Card in February 2012 and she spoke with him privately and told him that his attention to her was inappropriate, unwanted and unwelcome.

She believed that this would be the end of the matter but Gda Maguire continued to contact her through email via the garda pulse system.

She reported the emails to superior colleagues and Gda Maguire was disciplined and told not to contact her again. The emails continued which resulted in his access to the pulse system being revoked.

Gda Maguire then turned up at the garda station where she worked and specifically asked for her. He was again cautioned not to contact the woman.

Three weeks later he turned up at a garda 10km race she was running in and was noticed by other colleagues to be staring at her.

Again his superiors met with him and he gave an oral undertaking not to have any further contact with the woman. Two weeks later she received a friend request from him on Facebook.

This was the final contact before seriousness of the harassment was escalated and investigated as a criminal offence.

The court heard that the harassment impacted on the woman’s work and family life and caused her great stress. She felt physically sick, annoyed and concerned on receiving the communications from Gda Maguire.

She was granted annual leave following the Facebook contact from Gda Maguire because her superiors believed she was not in “a fit position to do her work”.

Det Super Walter O’Sullivan agreed with Ronan Kennedy BL, defending, that when Gda Maguire was interviewed in June 2013, he said he was infatuated with the woman and this was not reciprocated.

He accepted that he had been warned to stop communicating with the sergeant but had continued contact despite this.

Det Sup O’Sullivan agreed with Mr Kennedy that Gda Maguire had difficulty understanding what he had been doing was wrong and that he had been causing the woman stress.

He accepted that, following the interview, both he and his colleagues had concerns for Gda Maguire’s wellbeing.

Ms Small told the jury in opening the trial that the defence agree that the accused harassed the woman.

She told the jury it will hear from consultant psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright tomorrow morning who will testify that in her view Gda Maguire, “didn’t know what he was doing was wrong, was unable to appreciate the significance and wrongness of the act and that he was unable to refrain from doing his actions”.

The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Elma Sheahan and jury of three women and nine men.

John McGrotty leaving Letterkenny courthouse after being barred from Donegal last month (North West Newspix)

A deaf man who pleaded guilty to harassing a doctor and his family has been told he must stay inside his own house if he sees them out in public.

John McGrotty, 65, had been banned from staying in Co Donegal for the past month after pleading guilty to 35 counts of harassment.

Dungloe District Court had heard how McGrotty made rude gestures to the McEniff family, their children, and threw rusty nails under the tyres of the family’s car.

He also appeared naked in front of Mrs McEniff.

Judge Paul Kelly previously told McGrotty to stay away from the family but he broke that order and was arrested and brought before Letterkenny District Court last month.

He was then ordered to stay with his daughter in Dublin and ordered to appear at Dungloe District Court.

McGrotty, of St Peter’s Terrace, Dungloe, who is deaf and speech impaired communicated to the court with the assistance of two sign language interpreters.

His solicitor Patsy Gallagher, asked the court to allow his client to come back to live in his home.

Dr Dara McEniff and wife Eimear leaving Letterkenny courthouse at a previous sitting (North West Newspix)

Judge Kelly heard how progress was being made with McGrotty following intervention from Mr Declan Boyle, the only social worker in the county who is qualified to work with speech and hearing impaired people.

A member of the DeafHearDeaf Mental Health Services, Mr Boyle gave lengthy evidence to the court about his involvement with McGrotty over recent weeks.

“We have discussed his interpretation of events and how things can move on from here. We have also arranged for him to meet with a Dr Defoe, a specialist psychotherapist from Belfast and that assessment is due to take place on June 28.”

Mr Boyle outlined that he has a number of concerns about the defendant living away from Donegal. These included the fact he has spoken of feeling depressed and the inability for him to fully engage with the support services that have now been put in place in Donegal on a regular basis.

He said that if McGrotty is allowed to return home he will meet with him on a weekly basis and become his first point of contact.

Judge Kelly said “I appreciate that there are difficulties under which he has to operate but the concern of the court is the interaction with the victim and his family. My concern is for the victim and how we can ensure McGrotty will comply with the order the court makes.”

Outlining her concerns to the court, victim, Ms Eimear McEniff said that she had a real fear of the defendant being allowed to return home.

She added that the accused was often naked inside his house and that herself and her family would have moved house if they had been able to afford it.

“I have no reason to believe that his behaviour has changed. This has been a living nightmare and his behaviour always escalates over the summer. Since he has been living in Dublin for the past four weeks we have a new found sense of freedom that we have never had before. It would be a great relief if he wasn’t in his house.

“I would greatly appreciate if you could allow us one summer of freedom. We cannot get to our house without passing his. He is always outside and if he is not then he is standing inside naked. If it was financially viable we would have moved long ago.”

Judge Kelly said that while he took on board Ms McEniff’s concerns, he could not “lock (him) up for life”.

“Even if the court imposes the maximum sentence of two years, sooner or later he will be back out. There has to be a starting point,” he said.

One of the conditions imposed by the court on the last occasion created boundaries within the town of Dungloe where the defendant was not allowed to be.

On the suggestion of Mr Boyle, the defendant along with gardai and the social worker walked the route that he has been allowed to take to ensure that he had full understanding of where he was and was not allowed to go. It had been imposed due to the close proximity between his home and the home of the injured parties.

Mr Gallagher appealed to Judge Kelly to allow his client to return home.

He said “We have a totally different situation since the intervention of Mr Boyle. My client now has more of an understanding of his actions and their consequences. There seems to be a road map that has been started here and it can only continue if he has access to the service in Donegal.”

Judge Kelly said he was grateful for the extensive evidence provided by Mr Boyle and his assistance in “ensuring a solution to this problem is embarked upon”.

“I need to be proportionate in the way I deal with him. I also note the eloquent plea from Mrs McEniff but I have to look at the justice of the situation on both sides. The defendant has no previous convictions, is awaiting sentence and complied with the order on the last occasion.

“He cannot make long term progress without regular engagement with the relevant mental health professionals and I feel it is appropriate to all him to return to Donegal subject to a number of conditions.”

The first condition was that McGrotty, under oath, give an undertaking to the court that he fully understands the implications of breaching the conditions imposed, namely that any breach would lead to him being taken into custody.

He has also been ordered not to commit and further offences, reside at his home, have no contact with witnesses for the prosecution or the McEniff family. He must also adhere to the boundaries which have been put in place as to where he can be and must re-enter his home if he sees any of the injured parties.

He must also engage with all relevant mental health professionals and gardai and comply with their recommendations.

The case is due back before the September sitting of Dungloe District Court.

A Donegal garda who harassed a married female sergeant by sending her a Valentine’s Card, numerous emails and a friend request on Facebook has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Garda Donal Maguire (40), a married man with two children, had been warned by his superiors not to have any contact with the woman and was advised there would be consequences if the behaviour continued.

The Irish Times reports he sent the emails via the garda Pulse system leading to him having his access revoked. He continued to try and contact the woman , despite giving an undertaking to stop and was ultimately transferred to another station.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the harassment impacted on the woman’s work and family life and caused her great stress. She felt physically sick, annoyed and concerned on receiving the communications from Garda Maguire. She was granted annual leave following the Facebook contact because her superiors believed she was not in “a fit position to do her work”.

Garda Maguire (40), of Bundoran, had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of harassing the woman at a location in Dublin on dates between February 18th and March 11th, 2012 and between August 1st, 2012 and February 4th, 2013.

Two forensic psychiatrists told the trial that Garda Maguire was suffering from a mental disorder at the time and lacked the ability to form intent, as set out under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006.
Dementia

The jury heard that Garda Maguire had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which at his age was considered early onset dementia. The symptoms include erotomania, a delusion in which a person believes that another person, typically of a higher social status, is in love with them.

The disorder also meant that Garda Maguire was increasingly inappropriate in his actions, had a loss of empathy, was unable to understand the impact of his behaviour, has a lack of judgment and an inability to inhibit his own actions as well as a lack of interest in his personal hygiene.

The jury returned its verdict following an hour of deliberations. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jurors for their concentration during what she was an “unusual” trial.

She said the court found that Garda Maguire was suffering from a mental disorder and committed him to the Central Mental Hospital. She ordered that the hospital provide the court with a report on June 27th so that “the appropriate steps can be taken”.

Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting, told the jury in opening the case that the fact Garda Maguire harassed the woman was not disputed but rather the jurors had to determine if he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time.

The court heard that both Gda Maguire’s mother and his wife noticed a change in his behaviour from 2010, shortly after the birth of his first child, when he started making bizarre statements and laughing inappropriately.

In his first referral to have it investigated, a psychiatrist noted that Garda Maguire had disorganised thinking and unusual speech.

Detective Superintendent Walter O’Sullivan outlined the facts of the harassment to the jury. He agreed with Ronan Kennedy BL, defending that when Garda Maguire was interviewed in June 2013, he said he was infatuated with the woman and this was not reciprocated.

He accepted that he had been warned to stop communicating with the sergeant but had continued contact despite this.

McGlinchey and his accomplice McLaughlin

A Donegal lorry driver has been jailed for people smuggling following the death of an Afghan man seeking asylum in the UK.

Meet Singh Kapoor, 40 died from a heart attack while travelling from Belgium with 34 others, including his family.

36-year-old Stephen McLaughlin, from Carndonagh was jailed for nine years and his accomplice Martin McGlinchey, 49, for eight years.

Both men denied conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK but were found guilty at Basildon Crown Court.

UK Border Force officials found 35 Afghan women, men and children in a lorry at Tilbury Docks in August 2014.

One man, Meet Singh Kapoor, was found dead inside the container

The container had arrived in Tilbury with 10 men, 10 women and 15 children on board from Zeebrugge.

Essex Police said McGlinchy, from Derryloughlan Road, Dungannon, County Tyrone, helped to organise the lorry’s movements and drove the container to Dover.

Mclaughin supplied the lorry and allowed his shipping account to be used for the container’s journeys.

A third man, Taha Sharif, from High Cross Road, Tottenham, who was convicted of the same offence last year, and who will be sentenced later this month, organised the loading of the people into the container.

When they arrived in the UK, the 35 asylum seekers were treated for shock, exhaustion and dehydration.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, from Essex Police, welcomed the sentence.
He said: “Vulnerable people seeking help were treated in an appalling way at the hands of these greedy criminals, which prevented any prospect of medical help for Mr Kapoor.

“My thoughts remain very much with his wife, children, family and friends, and the other surviving asylum seekers who endured such distressing and shocking conditions.”

The late Bogdan Michalkiewicz

A jury at a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court has heard that one of the accused got on his knees and swore that he wasn’t involved in the death of a Polish man in Letterkenny when questioned by a friend of the deceased.

Bogdan Michalkiewicz was discovered by his brother Tomasz Michalkiewicz at Westside apartments on 13 May 2013 after he went to check on the deceased when he had not answered his phone for a number of days.

Previous evidence has heard how a television had been dropped on the dead man’s head.

Both Krystof Grzegorski and his co-accused Dariusz Weckowicz have pleaded not guilty to the 41 year old Polish man’s murder.

Grzegorski, 22, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, however, this charge was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Witness Adam Kycwaik told the court he met one of the accused, Dariusz Weckowicz, in the street a few days after his friend Bogdan Michalkiewicz had been found beaten to death at his home in Letterkenny.

Adam invited Mr Weckowicz to his house to find out what had happened. Speaking on Friday to prosecution counsel Alex Owens, SC, he said: “I asked him whether he was there and he said he was there. I asked if someone else was with him and he said ‘yes’.”

He said Mr Weckowicz told him that he was so drunk he couldn’t prevent what had happened to the deceased.

“He was swearing that he did not touch Bogdan. He was swearing on his knees,” he told defence counsel for Mr Weckowicz, Brendan Grehan, SC.

The trial continues.

Gardai made 58 arrests over the rally weekend.

A Judge has warned he may change his approach to dealing with offending motorists in the wake of the latest Donegal International Rally.

Judge Paul Kelly spoke as he dealt with a number of offenders at Letterkenny District Court today.

There were a total of 58 arrests during the rally, many of them for public order and motoring offences.

Many of those arrested have been bailed and will be dealt with at a special court sitting on July 4th next at Letterkenny District Court.

In a hard-hitting address to his court, Judge Kelly said this was the sixth year he had sat before the court on the Monday after the rally weekend.

“Each year it seems to me it is getting worse and more numerous and it seems the approach I am taking is not working and I will have to change that approach.

“People are coming to Donegal and to Letterkenny and driving round in the manner that had been described by Garda O’Dowd and they think they can get away with it and it’s great fun.

“Gardai are being put to enormous inconvenience and are getting dog’s absue. The atmosphere is turning into something akin of Dodge City in the bad told days and it has to stop,” he said.

Julian Cuddihy. Pic by Northwest News Pix.

A Co Donegal man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia who attacked his parents with an axe has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin.

The Irish Times report that Julian Cuddihy (43) was accused of murdering his mother Kathleen (73) and father James (77) at their family home in Churchtown, Carndonagh on October 22nd, 2014.

Earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and a jury delivered a unanimous verdict after less than an hour of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court.

Cuddihy, who believed that by killing his parents he was sending them to heaven, was on Monday committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for inpatient care.

Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan ordered his committal on foot of a report by Dr Sally Lenihan, consultant forensic psychiatrist based at the CMH in Dublin.

Dr Lenihan told the court that Mr Cuddihy was first admitted to the CMH on October 31st, 2014, suffering from psychotic symptoms and delusional beliefs.

She assessed him as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, a state of mind that affects his thinking, perception, emotion and judgment, and that impairs his mental function to the extent that he requires care or treatment.

She told the court that the kind of care Cuddihy needs is available only at the CMH.

Ms Justice Heneghan said she was satisfied that Cuddihy was suffering from a mental disorder under the definition of the 2006 Criminal Law (Insanity) Act and was in need of inpatient care in “the only designated centre” – the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum.

The judge ordered his committal to the CMH for inpatient care and treatment.

A JUDGE has issued a bench warrant for a girl facing burglary charges when she was just 13.

The girl, now aged 15, had failed to turn up at Letterkenny District Court to face the charges.

The court heard it was the third time she had failed to appear.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of burglary at an address at Iona Road, Letterkenny, on January 30, 2014.

She is also accused of attempting to break into a vehicle parked at Flanagans’ Furniture Store in Buncrana on January 27, 2014.

She is further charged with theft from a Centra shop on Circular Road, Letterkenny, on February 9, 2014.

She is also charged with handling stolen property at the North West Golf Club, Lisfannon, Buncrana on July 5, 2014.

Defence solicitor Patsy Gallagher said his client had failed to turn up in court and efforts to contact the teenager’s legal guardian had also failed.

Samuel Clarke at a previous court sitting. Pic by Northwest Newspics.

A JUDGE has adjourned a bail application from a murder suspect to allow bank account details of his son to be investigated.

Samuel James Clarke, (52) of Magherane, Raphoe was charged in January this year with the murder of Mr Seamus Doherty, (67), in Drumnacoo near Churchill in June 2012.

He had been granted bail in the High Court subject to signing on at a garda station twice a day and that an independent surety of €30,000 be provided, €10,000 of that in cash.

Edwin Clarke, with an address at Galdonagh, Manorcunningham, and son of Mr Clarke today applied to Judge Paul Kelly at Letterkenny District Court to provide the surety.

He admitted under cross-examination by Garda Inspector Goretti Sheridan that he “probably” wasn’t an independent witness.

Peter Nolan, barrister for Samuel James Clarke, told Judge Kelly that 90 per cent of sureties in bail applications did come from family members.

However Inspector Sheridan said gardaí are not satisfied it is an independent surety and believe Edwin Clarke could be using funds from his father’s farm business to provide the monies.

Judge Kelly questioned Edwin Clarke about his bank account details. The judge said he wanted to see Edwin Clarke’s business accounts for 2014 and 2015 as well as details of loans taken out by Edwin Clarke in May and June of this year.

Inspector Sheridan said gardaí had opposed the original bail application believing Samuel Clark was a flight risk and they feared possible interference with witnesses.

She said the State is concerned that monies coming into Edwin’s accounts were coming through his father’s farm and his father’s cattle.

She said a previous case before the courts had ruled that monies provided in a case by a woman for her son had actually come from the son, the accused in the case.

Judge Kelly adjourned the case until next Monday, June 27, to allow the accounts of Edwin Clarke to be produced and also the registered herd numbers for Edwin Clarke’s farm and his father’s farm.

Kevin McIllmurray leaving Letterkenny District Court. (North West Newspix)

A WEST Belfast man accused of driving at speed up the right hand lane of Pearse Road at the weekend has been released on bail and sureties totalling €5,000.

Kevin McIlmurray, from Slemish Way, appeared at a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court on Sunday night.

He appeared again before Judge Paul Kelly at the same court yesterday afternoon.

McIlmurray faced charges of endangerment, dangerous driving and refusing to provide a blood or urine sample to gardaí.

The court heard the entire incident was caught on CCTV and that McIlmurray and a passenger were apprehended with the help of a reserve Garda and two local taxi men.

It is alleged he drove at speed into oncoming traffic before being apprehended. Gardaí suspected he had been drug-driving.

McIlmurray was released from custody after providing bail and sureties of €5,000. A total of €2,300 was provided in cash.

Judge Kelly also ordered McIlmurray to surrender his passport.

McIlmurray, dressed in an Antrim GAA jersey and O’Neills tracksuit bottoms, is due to appear in court in Letterkenny again on July 4.

A woman told Gardai her husband was drink-driving – after they had a lunchtime row.

Roman Leppek appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with drink-driving at Ranmore Walk, Letterkenny at 1.25pm on May 31st, 2015.

Leppek, 49, a father of three daughters, was stopped by Gardai driving his Nissan Qausqai.

Solicitor Kieran Dillon said there had been “unhappy differences” between the couple and that Mrs Leppek was concerned about her husband’s demeanour.

The court heard Mr Leppek, of 57 Rann More, Letterkenny, had arrived in Ireland in 2006 and had fund employment in the engineering sector.

Judge Paul Kelly fined the accused €350 and disqualified him from driving for 3 years.

Gheorge Bot

A man spent a week in prison after being arrested because he had the
exact same name as his brother.

Gheorge Bot appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with a series of driving offences.

However, Mr Bot had the cases against him dismissed after Judge Paul
Kelly heard of the mix-up.

To avoid confusion in the case, his own barrister referred to him as
Gheorge One – saying the alleged offences were committed by his
brother, also known as Gheorge Two.

Barrister Kathleen Henry said the man who should be before the court
on driving charges is Gheorge Bot of The Willows, Lough Na Glack,
Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.

The man she represented – and who was in court – was a different
Gheorge Bot of Shercock Road, Bailieboro, Co Cavan, or Gheorge 2.

Due to confusion in the case, Ms Henry told Judge Paul Kelly, Gheorge
Bot 1 had spent a week in Castlerea Prison.

“The two men are brothers and there is a year of difference in age
between them,” said the barrister.

“Their father is also called Gheorge and both sons were named in his
honour. They even refer to themselves as Gheorge 1 and Gheorge 2.
Gheorge 2 has gone home to Romania to his father-in-law’s funeral and
couldn’t be in court today,” she said.

Mr Bot addressed the court and said it was a custom in his native
Romania that a father gave his sons the same name.

Gheorge 2 is now facing charges of careless driving, no road tax, no
insurance, no NCT, no tax in Letterkenny on June 1, 2015.

“So when is George the Second going to be able to come her to deal
with the matter?” asked Judge Kelly.

The barrister asked for a hearing on September 1st.

There was laughter in court as Judge Kelly commented: “It strikes me
that as the father has the same name he was probably Gheorge the 1st,
this man before me is Gheorge the second and the other Gheorge
currently in Romania is Gheorge the third!”

The case was adjourned until September.

A ROSCOMMON man who was in the middl of a melee on Letterkenny Main street on Saturday night and tried to row with gardaí has been ordered to pay €400 to a local charity.

Colm Mee, who is 26 and from Cloverhill, paid €400 to St Vincent de Paul after telling Judge Paul Kelly that he was “extremely sorry” for his actions.

Letterkenny District Court heard Mee was among a group of people wrestling on the ground around 11.35pm.

There were a large number of incidents in the town at the time with gardaí dealing with them.

Defence solicitor Patsy Gallagher said his client had come to Donegal for the rally and had too much to drink.

He said a row began over accents and football and Mee, who works as a security door fitter, got involved.

Judge Kelly heard that Mee was aggressive towards gardaí but that he had calmed down once he had arrives at Letterkenny Garda station.

He had later apologised to gardaí for his actions.

Mee told the judge he was sorry, adding: “It is totally out or character. It won’t happen again.”

Judge Kelly said gardai had enough to be doing “without putting up with this sort of abuse.”

Mee was sent to St Vincent de Paul in Letterkenny and ordered to return with a receipt for a donation of €400.

Judge Kelly applied the Probation Act.

Isabel Arthur pictured at her home in Feddyglass, Raphoe after being attack by burglars.

A leading Garda has appealed to anyone who knows about an attack on two elderly sisters to come forward as harrowing details were heard into one of their deaths at an inquest yesterday.

Donegal Coroner’s Court heard how 89-year-old Susan (Suzie) Arthur died three months after a suffering a broken hip in an aggravated burglary.

Suzie, who shared the well-known home on the main Letterkennny to Lifford home with her older sister, died by misadventure, the inquest found.

Ms Arthur sustained a broken hip when three men entered her home at Feddyglass, Raphoe, on July 1st, 2013.

One of the men grabbed her by the arm and pushed her to the floor.

The inquest found that she died as a result of a blood clot which spread to her lung from her left leg.

Ms Arthur’s older sister Isabel died in March 2015 and coroner Dennis McCauley said the burglary had resulted in the deaths of two people.

The Arthur sisters’ home at Feddyglass

Isabel was also pushed to the floor in the attack. The men searched the house for valuables, cut the phone line and locked the two women in the house before they left.

No one has ever been arrested over the aggravated burglary and Superintendent David Kelly yesterday issued a new appeal for information.

Susan Arthur did return to her home after the burglary following her admission to hospital. She died in Letterkenny General Hospital on October 11th, 2013 after a period in Lifford Community Hospital.

In the aftermath of the burglary Isabel was able to free herself by using a spare key. She raised the alarm by flagging down traffic on the main Lifford to Letterkenny road at around 5 p.m.

Motorists stopped to give assistance to Isabel who was distressed and wearing just one shoe.

Susan was found lying on the floor of the kitchen of her home. The three men broke glass in a dresser downstairs and pulled out drawers in rooms upstairs in their search for valuables.

Superintendent David Kelly said the investigation has not closed. He said there are people who know who was involved and appealed to anyone who might have information to come forward.

“This terrible act happened as a result of an aggravated burglary,” he said. He offered his condolences to Mr McClean. “I want to offer condolences on behalf of An Garda Siochana. Words cannot be said to express what we feel for your loss.”

Joe McClean, the women’s nephew, said the two sisters were not married and had lived at the house all their lives. “The garden was their pride and joy. It was their thing in life,” he said.

Mr McClean said Susan had been in good health before the burglary and had all her faculties.

Isabel died on St. Patrick’s Day 2015 and Mr McClean said he believed the death of Susan contributed to her sister’s death.

Dr. McCauley said the burglary was a terrible event and Susan’s death was tragic.

“We have two ladies whose lives were totally turned upside down by one incident,” he said. “This is a terrible tragedy and I think it is a disgrace what happened.

“The incident resulted in the death of two people and that is a terrible thing. It was callous, cruel, unlawful and it was wrong,” he said.

A Donegal Garda who harassed a female sergeant has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital.

Garda Donal Maguire, 40, was found not guilty by reason of insanity this month.

The trial heard the married father of two had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which at his age was considered early onset dementia.

The jury heard he sent the married woman a Valentine’s Card, numerous emails and a friend request on Facebook despite having been warned by his superiors not to have any contact with her. He had sent the emails via the Garda Pulse system, leading to him having his access revoked.

He continued to try and contact the woman, despite giving an oral undertaking to stop his behaviour — and was ultimately transferred to another garda station.

Gda Maguire, 40, of Bundoran, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by reason of insanity to two counts of harassing the woman at a location in Dublin on dates between February and March 2012 and between August 2012 and February 2013.

The jury of nine men and three women returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity following an hour of deliberations.

Two forensic psychiatrists told the trial Gda Maguire had been suffering from a mental disorder at the time and lacked the ability to form intent.

A Donegal Garda who was struck on the head by a stone the ‘size of a melon’ while on patrol at a festival in Inishowen has been awarded €30,000 damages in the High Court.

Garda John O’Connor told the court that when the incident happened in August 2011, he was attached to Buncrana Garda station and had been working at the annual music festival in Clonmany.

Garda O’Connor, who now suffers from tinnitus since the attack, sued the Minister for Public Expenditure.

He revealed how a number of people had been involved in a disturbance on Main Street and he directed one of the main instigators to leave the area.

The man had refused and had become aggressive. Following several warnings, the man had been pepper-sprayed and then restrained by Garda O’Connor and a colleague.

Garda O’Connor told his barrister, Brid O’Flaherty, during a Garda Compensation hearing, that before assistance arrived, the crowd in the area had grown larger and became very hostile towards the gardaí­.

Garda O’Connor had been struck on the head by the stone when missiles, including glasses and bottles, had been thrown at him and his colleagues. The court heard that during further arrests that night, he had also been kicked on the right side of his face by another man.

Mr Justice Bernard Barton was told Garda O’Connor woke up the next morning with severe pain to the right side of his face and in his right ear. He had also suffered bruising to his face.

Garda O’Connor, now based at Swinford Garda station, Co Mayo, had later attended his GP, complaining of persistent tinnitus since the assault. The court heard the tinnitus was ongoing and Garda O’Connor needed to avoid loud noise situations.

Ms O’Flaherty, who appeared with Hughes Murphy solicitors, said Garda O’Connor was not able to attend football matches anymore.

Judge Barton, awarding him €30,000, said that although Garda O’Connor was not suffering from a severe type of tinnitus, he was satisfied that it constituted a nuisance in his life.

The two Donegal women were arrested in Busaras.

Two Donegal friends who travelled to Dublin for a “good night out in town” ended up being arrested for causing a drink-fuelled disturbance in Busaras.

Denise Dowd and Kiara Baird, both aged 19, were due to get a bus back to Donegal when they began hurling abuse and threats at the public, security and investigating gardai.

Dowd went on to break a window at Busaras before trying to run away through heavy traffic.

Judge Anthony Halpin said he would leave them without criminal convictions if they each made a €100 charity donation.

Baird, of Glenwaters, Glenfin Road, Ballybofey, admitted to public drunkenness and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at Store Street.

Dowd, of Donegal Road, also Ballybofey, admitted breach of the peace at Busaras.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened on the morning of April 26 last.

The Evening Herald reported how Gardai found Baird highly intoxicated. She was aggressive towards members of the public at the bus station and was abusive to gardai.

She was told to leave the area before being arrested.

The court was told Dowd was being extremely abusive to security staff, shouting at them in a threatening manner.

When told to leave, she broke a front window at Busaras.

As gardai approached her, she ran through busy traffic to avoid them. She verbally abused the gardai before being arrested.

The court heard there was no criminal damage charge against her.

Both defendants apologised and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, which was indicative of their remorse, their lawyer said.

Baird was on Jobseeker’s Allowance, while Dowd had just finished a Youthreach programme.

The pair had travelled on the bus from Donegal the day before and intended to have a “good night out in town”, their lawyer said.

They went out and had a “considerable amount to drink” before returning to Busaras the next morning to get the bus home.

The incident began at 10.45am. The accused had “very little recollection” of what happened at the bus station.

They had drunk alcohol before and were “not really sure” why it had such an effect on them on the night.

Judge Halpin adjourned the case and said he would strike the charges out if the charity donation was made.

Judge Paul Kelly

A JUDGE has hit out at the small number of rally fans who committed driving offences during the Rally Weekend.

Judge Paul Kelly was speaking today at Letterkenny District Court as he dealt with a number of cases related to incidents during the June event.

Gardaí made 58 rally related arrests over three days.

Judge Kelly heard a number of cases involving rally ‘fans’ from outside Donegal – most of those before the court where from outside the county.

He said: “It’s clear now that word has gone out to other counties that people can come to Letterkenny and drive like mad men (during the rally) and they think it’s great craic.”

The judge said it was also clear that some of those before the court were driving particular cars and if people wanted to drive at speed they could do so only if they entered as rally competitors and did so in the controlled environment of the rally.

He was speaking as he warned a driver that he was in danger of losing both his liberty and his licence after being caught dangerous driving at more than 170km/hr on dual carriageway from Manorcunningham to Letterkenny.

Craig Pardy pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after Sgt Charlene Anderson reported how Pardy had been driving the middle of three cars speeding through the townland of Dromore at 8.30pm on Friday June 17.

Inspector Goretti Sheridan said the three cars were going so fast the garda car could not keep up with them.

As the cars slowed at the Dry Arch roundabout, Pardy sped into the inside lane in his yellow Honda Civic. He was arrested but refused to co-operate with gardaí.

The IT consultant based in Dublin but with an address at Ashbrook Drive, Birr Co Offaly, was in court for the hearing.

Defence solicitor Kevin McElhinney said Pardy had never been in Letterkenny before and was trying to keep up with his friends.

Judge Kelly said Pardy is in danger of losing his liberty and his licence and said people coming to Letterkenny to drive “like mad men” was not acceptable.

He said the charge of dangerous driving was as serious one compared to others he had heard and refused to deal with the case today.

He ordered Pardy to take part in the Pro-Social Driving Programme and to pay €500 towards the cost of it.

He adjourned the sentence until October 3.

A GARDA inspector has told the local court how “hundreds” of cars were revving their engines as some vehicles performed dangerous doughnuts on the main Letterkenny to Derry road – at 1.4oam in the morning.

Inspector Goretti Sheridan was giving the details at Letterkenny District Court in a dangerous driving case against 24-year-old Stephen Doyle from Gorey in Co Wexford.

She said a garda patrol car coming along the N13 came across the “meeting” on the Saturday morning of the Donegal rally weekend, June 18.

“There were hundreds of vehicles parked up along the road, revving their engines and causing a disturbance,” she said.

As the garda car came along, many of the vehicles left the scene, she said.

However around 20 cars stayed on and occupants cheered as mechanic Doyle performed up to six different dangerous manoeuvres on the road, some sending his car around at 180 degree angles.

Judge Paul Kelly asked Doyle if he drove like that in Co Wexford? Doyle replied that he didn’t.

The judge said Doyle would lose his licence if he appeared in court again and fined him €500.