YOUGHAL AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY ALERT MEETING JUNE 2010

By Christy Parker

There was a warm welcome when a member from the floor informed that provision was now being made for a celebratory party for the Junior Cert students next September. The Parents Council of Pobalscoil na Trionoide are arranging the event in tandem with the Quays nightclub. The celebration will run from 7-11pm in an alcohol-free environment and admittance will be by ticket only. The Quay’s management will provide security personnel. It was also noted that the occasion could prove to have been a precedent for similar arrangements depending on its success or otherwise.

Chairman Jack Dempsey said it was a significant initiative and offered an opportunity for young people to appreciate that enjoyment need not necessarily be dependent on alcohol. “A lot of thought seems to have gone into it and it’s good to see such responsibility,” he added.

Socially monitored alarms

Sergeant Sharkey told the meeting that from June 1st, the government had changed the procedure for processing applications for the supply of socially monitored alarms. He did not have details, but said it seemed future applications would face greater difficulties. Under the previous directive, Youghal had submitted 15 applications with 26 outstanding and to be subsequently submitted. The good news was that the department had asked that these also now be submitted and the total would be considered prior to June 1st. This had been done and hopefully all 41 would be approved. In response to a query from the chairman, he said the alarms themselves were free but there was an annual monitoring cost of about  €55/€60

Mr. Dempsey said it could be a difficult cost for some people but at least people were forewarned now. A private company, in conjunction with garda co-operation, would install the alarms.

Motoring advice

Sergeant Sharkey then read from a Garda circular denoting policing priorities over the June bank holiday. The appraisal however contained some statistics and information with year round relevance. It was noted that one-third of road fatalities concerned pedestrians, thus walkers are advised to wear bright or high visibility clothing on rural roads particularly, while drivers are asked to be alert to unexpected pedestrian traffic. Drivers are also advised to rest when tired and to ensure children are seated in appropriate child or booster seats. Passengers are cautioned to wear seat belts at all times and not to tolerate bad driving or speeding.

Motorcyclists

Motorcyclists too have high representation on the fatality list, with four having died since mid-April. The sergeant said motorcycle traffic increases over summer months and appealed to riders to avoid speed excessive, riding under influence of drink or drugs and not to ignore fatigue. He said research indicates the majority of motorcycle deaths occur at weekends and during daylight, with 40% of them single vehicle accidents. Further advice to motorcyclists included checking bike thoroughly, being aware of slow moving or stationary vehicles and changes in weather and road surfaces, being visible as possible and not allowing others to dictate one’s speed when riding in groups. (It wasn’t outlined, but most motorcyclists would also wish that vehicle drivers would be alert to the possible presence of motorcyclist when executing manoeuvres.)

Crime figures

The sergeant reported that crime figures for the past month were relatively low there were some serious incidents amongst them. There had been four recorded thefts –two from vehicles, including theft of stereo equipment in Foxhole on Sunday May 30th and a wallet from a van in South Main Street on Sunday May 16th. An oil tanks was emptied in Blackwater Heights (May 9th) and an unspecified theft at Lackaroe (May 8th).

There were eight recorded public order offence across various parts of town. Four pubs were ‘inspected’ and found to be in order and on May 28th, an under-age drinking incident was recorded at North Abbey cemetery. A fraudulent cheque was detected in Tallow Street, with a local man suspected and a definite line of inquiry being pursued.

Five

Five people were detected in possession of drugs and will appear in court in due course. There five drunk-driving cases recorded, all between May 15th -19th.

Criminal damage incidents again amounted to five, with a two detected and no apparent logic to any of them. In one incident, a vacant property in Carlton Village was damaged during a drinking expedition.

There were two burglaries reported on May 29th, including a Ballymacoda bar in which spirits and cash were taken. The sergeant said the cash till and drink were recovered close to the scene, which “points to a very local job.” He added that further burgled property was also recovered from a stashed location in the area. The second break-in was of a house in Rhincrew, in which a back door was left open and an inner door was forced. A wallet with a substantial amount of cash was stolen.

Assaults numbered four, two minor relatively, including at the GAA disco the previous weekend. Two more serious assaults, causing harm, occurred , one allegedly on May 17th involving two local youths, One suspect was arrested and a file is being prepared for the DPP. On May 26th, a local young man was seriously injured at Chestnut Drive and four people had subsequently been arrested. On May 31st the main suspect in that case, a 17 year old, was arrested and remanded in custody at Clonmel District Court to Youghal District Court on June 4th. Meanwhile a local man suspected of “a lot of crime” and whom gardai had been seeking, was also arrested on May 31st and would too appear in Youghal court on June 4th. In reply to the floor, the sergeant said most crime incidents in Youghal had a “strong local aspect” to it.

Dodgy €50’s, boy racers, hot cigarettes…

Concern was raised about fraudulent €50 notes. The sergeant said a major counterfeit operation had been raided in recent days in Dublin. He said complaints in Youghal were relatively rare. Advising on what to do should a business detect a forged note, Sergeant Sharkey said it was best to retain the note and ask the individual to wait while the gardai were summonsed. He stressed that anyone could harbour a false note unknowingly and that the gardai would be interested perhaps in trying to trace from where it may have been acquired as against assuming the holder was behaving criminally. Ultimately though, it was felt that the holder’s demeanour would prove a good indicator of their position, with guilty individuals more often than not legging it fast! “We shouldn’t feel guilty or embarrassed either just because our note is being tested,” commented the chairman.

Community Alert Treasurer Michael Beecher was perturbed that ‘boy racers are starting again for the summer,” with tyre marks evident on newly resurfaced roads, suck as Cork Hill. He also wondered if cigarette smuggling was a particular problem in Youghal. Sergeant Sharkey said he hadn’t any intelligence that indicated cigarettes were being illegally sold in great volumes in Youghal currently, but information could arrive at any time. As regards boy racing he advised that enforcement was only one deterrent and that speed bumps etc were a viable alternative. He mused that (Cllr) Beecher might wish to raise that at “another forum.”

A lady from the floor asked how prevalent and successful were drug searches. The sergeant said on average about 30-35 street/car searches were conducted per month. In May, these had resulted in three finds from a total of five. House searches, by contrast, depended on stronger reason for doing so and these measured about three per month. Information came through tip-offs and criminal arrests, amongst other sources and often provided new names to more established identities.

The sergeant added that an Garda liked to rotate responsibility for drug crimes amongst the rank and file. A new garda, Aidan D’ardais had now assumed the plainclothes role in Youghal, replacing Garda Ian Brown.

Some in attendance has reservations about children acquiring pellet guns from a new shop in town. Sergeant Sharkey said they weren’t illegal though he had some concern that a laser facility may be associated with them. He would inquire further into it.

The meeting concluded with reference to the group’s finances. Mr. Beecher said that following the donation of €50 (genuine one!) to Cumann na Daoine in respect of crime-warning signs, a total of €763.50c. The next annual church gate collection is imminent this summer and meantime the next community alert meeting will be on July 6th at 7.45 pm, Walter Raleigh.