PLANS STEPPED UP TO SEGREGATE PRISONERS AND PUBLIC AT GALWAY COURTHOUSE

Date Published: 11-Jan-2008

Plans to segregate prisoners from members of the public at Galway District Court by the use of separate entrances and exits have been stepped upThis comes as a result of a Ballybane man being seen passing a piece of cannabis to a prisoner while the court was in session Garda Jason Kelly gave evidence that on April 2 last he was present in court when he observed Thomas Sweeney of 79 Castle Park, Ballybane approach a prisoner and put a small piece of cannabis resin into his hand.In court this week Sweeney was sentenced to seven months in prison for the offenceHe was also given a consecutive four-month sentence for allowing himself to be carried in a stolen car at the Morris Roundabout, Galway on March 27 last year - the same car in which the charred remains of Joe Sweeney from Bohermore, were found by Gardai.The accused received a further consecutive three-month sentence for burglary at a State solicitor’s house at Tranlaur, Maree, Oranmore, on December 22, 2006. He pleaded guilty to all of the offences.