Fulop Dusan leaving Letterkenny District Court. (North West Newspix)
Two men who were contracted to illegally chop down trees to make a better view for a house in Dunfanaghy have received suspended jail sentences.
The pair appeared at Letterkenny District Court today after being caught by Gardai carrying out the operation in the early hours of last Monday morning.
Juraj Bajmoczy, 31, and Fulop Dusan, 44, were caught at 2.40am on January 4th last at Dunfanaghy wearing dark clothing and hats and in possession of a bow saw and knife.
The men had cut down three fully-grown conifer trees worth €1,500.
After a chase, Gardai eventually caught the men and they made full admission to the operation.
Garda Niall Maguire revealed he believed the men had been paid to cut down the trees by a third party who was in dispute with the owner of the trees, Daniel Devine, a local businessman.
Juraj Bajmocy leaving Letterkenny District Court. (North West Newspix)
Garda Maguire said the row was over a right-of-way on the land and that he believed the trees were cut down to make a better view from the land in dispute.
Both accused men are originally from Slovakia but had been living in Northern Ireland for some years but had no previous convictions for any offences.
Mr Dusan, from Meadowlands, Co Antrim was a successful businessman who ran a car-wash operation and employed his co-accused Mr Bajmoczy, from 25 Millhouse Road, Co Antrim.
Solicitor Kieran Dillon said both men had foolishly entered an agreement with a third party which they now regretted having spent time bring held in jail since last Monday.
He said the men had €1,500 in court to compensate Mr Devine of the loss of his trees and also wished to apologise to the injured party.
Judge Paul Kelly said “This is one of the most hair-brained enterprises I have ever come across. I don’t know how they thought they could get away with it – it was so close to so many dwellings.
“It did involve some element of planning and premeditation but the fact that they were asked by someone to to do and were paid for it surely should have alerted them that it was unlawful or should have,” he said.
Judge Kelly sentenced both men to one month in prison for criminal damage, backdated it to last Monday and suspended the sentences for six months.