logo
Man charged with criminal damage to Taoiseach's office warned to stay away from area

Man charged with criminal damage to Taoiseach's office warned to stay away from area

Sunday World9 hours ago

Thomas Heising (34) of Frankfield Terrace, Summerhill South, Cork city appeared before a sitting of Cork District Court today.
A man charged with causing criminal damage to the constituency office of the Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Cork has been ordered to stay away from the area and to refrain from any contact, indirect or direct, with Mr Martin or his staff members.
Thomas Heising of Frankfield Terrace, Summerhill South, Cork city appeared before a sitting of Cork District Court today charged with damaging property on Evergreen Road in Cork on May 27 last. The offence is contrary to Section 2(1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991.
Sgt Chris Cahill said Mr Heising made no reply when the charge was put to him under caution. Mr Heising (34) was arrested on Saturday and charged with the offence yesterday.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Photo: PA.
News in 90 Seconds - Monday June 23
No objection to bail was made in the case. Certain bail conditions were put in place. Mr Heising was ordered to have no contact, direct or indirect, with the Taoiseach, his staff or any public officials. This includes contacting persons on social media. He also has to stay away from Evergreen Road.
Judge Mary Dorgan also warned the accused not to involve himself in commentary in relation to the case. This includes commentary which may take place on social media platforms.
Defence solicitor Shane Collins Daly said that his client had cooperated fully with gardaí during his garda interview.
Sgt Cahill confirmed that this was the case. Mr Heising was asked if he agreed to abide by the conditions of his bail. He replied 'I am.'
Under the terms of his bail Mr Heising is required to sign on twice weekly at Anglesea Street Garda station in Cork city. He also has to reside at his home in Summerhill South.
Sgt Aisling Murphy applied for a six week remand in the case. Mr Heising was remanded on bail to appear before Cork District Court on July 25 next for DPP directions. Judge Dorgan told him to refrain from using intoxicants in the intervening period.
No details were given as to the particulars of the damage caused to the constituency office.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Farmer who twice raped man he knew for years ‘violated' victim in ‘most horrific way'
Farmer who twice raped man he knew for years ‘violated' victim in ‘most horrific way'

Sunday World

time5 hours ago

  • Sunday World

Farmer who twice raped man he knew for years ‘violated' victim in ‘most horrific way'

The man said that Thomas 'Tossy' Nyhan spoke of his children during the incident which he said he found to be 'twisted and inhumane'. A man who was twice raped by a man he had known for many years has stated that there are 'not words strong enough to capture the pain' he has suffered. Thomas 'Tossy' Nyhan (60) from Crookstown, Co Cork, was convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick last May. He had pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape of the man in January 2011 and April 2019. Nyhan is a married farmer who has four children. He has no previous convictions. The victim, whose victim impact statement was read into the record by Fionnuala O'Sullivan SC, prosecuting, said that he would try to find the right words to help Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring understand the impact the rape had on him. 'He raped me twice,' the man said 'This was not a moment of confusion. It was cold, calculated and violent – he knew what he was doing – and eight years later he did it again'. 'This is what he chose. This is who he is. I trusted him and told him about my trauma and vulnerabilities and he controlled, degraded and violated me in the most horrific way,' he continued. The man said that Nyhan spoke of his children during the incident which he said he found to be 'twisted and inhumane'. Thomas 'Tossy' Nyhan (64) News in 90 Seconds - Monday June 23 He said he disclosed the second rape to his GP, because 'I could not hold the weight of his abuse any longer'. He later told gardaí about the earlier incident of rape. The man said he feels like he is being watched. 'I am trapped,' he said, before he went on to describe feeling 'constantly sick with anxiety'. He said he is 'a ghost of the man he used to be'. 'I am broken, alone. I have no one, because my barriers are always up.' 'He is a rapist and that will follow him for the rest of his life and it should,' the man continued. He then spoke to other victims of abuse and those who feel they are silenced. 'Please hear this – standing up and speaking out is one of the most hardest things but it is powerful and lifechanging,' he said, before he encouraged those similarly affected by such crimes to seek help. The man asked Ms Justice Ring to impose a sentence that reflected the impact of rape – 'Let it say this matters – we matter. Please show what I lost matters. What he did matters.' He concluded his victim impact statement by acknowledging the people who assisted him – the gardaí, his GP, the Rape Crisis Centre, a support worker and the legal team for the prosecution. The man thanked the jury 'for listening and for believing me – that has meant more to me than you will ever know'. Ms Justice Ring told the man that it was a very important decision she has to make. She congratulated him on his victim impact statement, describing it as a 'powerful piece of work'. 'I want to think about what you said. You are carrying a burden. At this stage that burden passes to me and I have to come up with a sentence that is right for you, right for the accused and right for the community,' Ms Justice Ring said. She revoked Nyhan's bail and remanded him in custody, adjourning the imposition of sentence to July 21 next, when Ms Justice Ring said she expects she will be sitting in Limerick again. Garda Lisa O'Connor told Ms O'Sullivan that Nyhan raped the man at the victim's home after they had been out at a restaurant and had visited friends together. He told the man he had to do his exercise, to combat a circulation issue he had before he lay on the man's bed with his legs up against the wall. He then told the man, 'I have to get something before I go home' before he took down the victim's pants and attempted to rape him. He told the man to relax and later lay him down on a pillow before he raped him. Nyhan said he would pay before he placed €150 on the radiator. The victim told his GP a few days later and the GP arranged for a garda to come to the clinic the following day to take a statement of complaint from the man. He then also disclosed the rape in January 2011. He said on that occasion Nyhan told him he was unable to have sex with his wife before he pushed the man on to the bed and raped him. Nyhan was arrested in July 2020 and interviewed. He claimed that he had not had sex with the man the previous April, but acknowledged there may have been some consensual sexual activity. He denied that anything had happened in January 2011. Mark Nicholas SC, defending, said that his client still maintains his innocence and said that there was significant publicity surrounding the case following his conviction earlier this year. He said his client had worked hard as a farmer for most of his life and had provided for others through this work.

Man charged with causing damage to the Taoiseach's Cork constituency office
Man charged with causing damage to the Taoiseach's Cork constituency office

The Journal

time6 hours ago

  • The Journal

Man charged with causing damage to the Taoiseach's Cork constituency office

A MAN CHARGED with causing criminal damage to the constituency office of the Taoiseach in Cork has been ordered to stay away from the area and to refrain from any contact, indirect or direct, with Micheál Martin or his staff members. Thomas Heising of Frankfield Terrace, Summerhill South, Cork city appeared before a sitting of Cork District Court today, charged with damaging property, namely the walls, door and windowsill of 137 Evergreen Road in Cork on 27 May. The offence is contrary to Section 2(1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991. Sergeant Chris Cahill said Heising made no reply when the charge was put to him under caution. Heising, 34, was arrested on Saturday and charged with the offence yesterday. No objection to bail was made in the case. Certain bail conditions were put in place. Heising was ordered to have no contact, direct or indirect, with the Taoiseach, his staff or any public officials. This includes contacting persons on social media. He also has to stay away from Evergreen Road. Advertisement Judge Mary Dorgan also warned the accused not to involve himself in commentary in relation to the case. This includes commentary which may take place on social media platforms. Defence solicitor Shane Collins Daly said that his client had co operated fully with gardaí during his garda interview. Cahill confirmed that this was the case. Heising was asked if he agreed to abide by the conditions of his bail. He replied 'I am.' Under the terms of his bail, Heising is required to sign on twice weekly at Anglesea Street Garda station in Cork city. He also has to reside at his home in Summerhill South. Sergeant Aisling Murphy applied for a six-week remand in the case. Heising was remanded on bail to appear before Cork District Court on 25 June next for DPP directions. Judge Dorgan told him to refrain from using intoxicants in the intervening period. No details were given as to the particulars of the damage caused to the constituency office.

Special 'gangland' powers have led to record number of arrests
Special 'gangland' powers have led to record number of arrests

Irish Examiner

time7 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Special 'gangland' powers have led to record number of arrests

The use of special gangland laws reached its highest ever levels in the last year, with over 150 arrests — 40 more than the previous year. This translated into a significant rise in the number of charges brought forward — from 30 to 49. The legislation — targeting gang bosses, lieutenants, members, and associates — directs that any charges be brought before the non-jury Special Criminal Court, unless the DPP diverts them to the ordinary courts. A total of 152 arrests were carried out by gardaí in the year ending May 2025, a rise of 36% on the previous year. The offences are under the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009, which makes crimes in a 2006 act scheduled offences under the Offences Against the State Act 1939. The main offences are directing the activities of a criminal organisation (Section 71A), participating in or contributing to a criminal organisation (Section 72), and committing an offence for such an organisation (Section 73). An official report on the use of the 2009 act reveals: 152 arrests between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025, compared to 112 the previous year and 110 the year before that; 13 arrests for directing (Sec 71a), the same as the previous year — both the highest so far; 114 arrests for participating in/contributing to (Sec 72), compared to 92 the previous year and 90 the year before that; 25 arrests for committing an offence for a criminal organisation, compared to seven arrests the previous year and 18 the year before that. The report said a total of 49 charges were brought before the courts, compared to 30 charges the previous year, up 63%, and 22 the year before that. The 49 charges included 13 for directing a criminal organisation, an offence, on conviction, attracting a maximum of life in prison. Offences of participation or committing a crime for a criminal gang both attract a maximum of 15 years. Included in the 13 charges for directing a criminal organisation is that of Sean McGovern, who was extradited at the end of May from the United Arab Emirates after the signing of an extradition treaty between Ireland and the UAE. 13 convictions secured Some 13 convictions were secured in the last year, nine of them for Section 72 offences. These included Jason 'Jay' O'Connor, from Blanchardstown, west Dublin, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for enhancing the ability of a criminal organisation — namely the Kinahan cartel — to carry out a murder. The report is compiled for the Minister of Justice as part of the yearly renewal of the powers in the Oireachtas. The surge in gangland arrests is in contrast with a continuing reduction in arrests against suspected terrorists. A separate report shows that 32 arrests were carried out between June 2024 and May 2025 under certain provisions of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 and 1998, which related to subversive activities and unlawful organisations, such as dissident republicans. The number of arrests compares to 39 the previous year and 53 the year before that. There were seven arrests for membership of an unlawful organisation (Section 2) in the last year, compared to 11 the previous year.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store