court order Four family members ordered to leave Kerry after violent order incident on Christmas Eve

Four people have been ordered to leave their Kerry homes after being charged with violent disorder on Christmas Eve.

The four – three men and a woman – appeared before a special sitting of Cork District Court following alleged incidents in a Killarney housing estate after which gardaí made a number of raids on local properties.

All four charged are members of the same extended family.

Margaret Harrington (41), her partner, Michael Harrington (40) and their nephews John O’Brien (18) and Christopher O’Brien (24) were all charged with the same offences under the Public Order Act, 1994.

Margaret and Michael Harrington live at Hilltop Upper, Ballycasheen; Christopher O’Brien at Ballyspillane, Killarney; and John O’Brien at Hazelwood Drive, Killarney.

Judge Colm Roberts, sitting at Cork District Court, was told all four defendants used or threatened to use unlawful violence to a degree such as to cause another person to fear for their safety at Hazelwood Drive, Killarney, on December 24.

The charges were brought under Section 15 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order Act) 1994.

Detective Garda Finbarr O’Donovan and Garda Orla O’Shea offered the court evidence of the arrest, caution and charge of the four defendants.

The four did not speak beyond confirming their identities to the court.

Sergeant Pat Lyons, for the State, told Judge Roberts that there were no objections to the four being remanded on bail.

However, he said the garda would require that strict bail conditions were imposed.

These included that all defendants must now live outside the Killarney area at a specified address.

Gardaí indicated the only occasion they can return to the area is for the purpose of legal consultations or court appearances.

All four were told not to make contact either directly or indirectly with a named family in the Hazelwood Drive area.

They were also warned to stay away from social media and not to post any material on social media in respect of the matters at hand.

All four will now relocate to an address in the Kildare area which has been specified to gardaí. They will be required to sign on daily at Newbridge garda station and maintain a 10pm-6am curfew.

All four must also notify gardaí of any future change of address.

Defence solicitor Padraig O’Connell secured permission for the four to be allowed to visit their Killarney homes before the Kildare move.

This was for the sole purpose of collecting essential personal belongings.

Judge Roberts remanded all four on bail to appear before Killarney District Court on January 5.

Gardaí hope to have State directions in relation to the matter.

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Online Editors