A Letterkenny duo face standing trial for a series of burglaries in the town.
Matthew Lafferty and Amanda Coleman have been charged in relation to the burglaries in Letterkenny last September and also with causing €700 of criminal damage to a business premises.
Lafferty, who is 32 and of no fixed abode, and Coleman, a 39-year-old now an address at Kilmacrennan Road, Milford, are each to be sent forward to the Circuit Court.
Sergeant Jim Collins told Letterkenny District Court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed trial on indictment for both,
They are each charged that they did enter premises as a trespasser and did commit an arrestable offence, to wit criminal damage and theft, therein. The charge is contrary to Section 12(1)(b) and (3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
The charges relate to offences on September 20, 2024 at Zen Hair & Beauty, Port Road; Mr Chippie Takeaway, Ramelton Road; Ace Barbers, Oliver Plunkett Road; Uviolki, Pearse Road; Future Style Barber Shop, Unit 2 Pearse Road; and Hue Hair Salon, Pearse Road.
The pair are also charged that, at Bronze Age, Port Road, they did without lawful excuse damage property, to wit, the glass of the front door, to the value of €700 belonging to Bernard Gibbons intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The charge is contrary to section 2(1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991 and also related to an incident on September 20, 2024.
Lafferty, who is currently in Castlerea Prison, was remanded in custody to appear again before the court next month, while Coleman has been remanded on continuing bail to appear on the same date.
As he left the video link booth of the prison, Lafferty directed a comment to the court.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham told his solicitor, Ms Donna Ponsonby: “You may have words with your client. He has shown no respect and the court will not tolerate that. It is just not going to be something that will be tolerated in this court.”
Coleman is also facing charges in relation to: the theft of €15 of groceries from Lidl, Pearse Road, Letterkenny on February 24, 2024; the theft of groceries worth €10 from Lidl, Pearse Road, Letterkenny, on February 28, 2024; the theft of four cameras worth a collective €208 from Home Savers, Pearse Road, Letterkenny; and the theft of €21 worth of clothing from St Vincent De Paul, Ramelton Road, Letterkenny.
Among the conditions of Coleman’s bail are that she: reside at her home address; maintain a curfew from 11pm-8am; be available to be contacted by Gardai on telephone 24-7; remain sober and abstain from all unprescribed drugs; sign on at a Garda Station twice a week; commit no further offence and be of good behaviour; not contact any witnesses in the matters; and not associate with two named individuals.