Court hears man was 'lamping rabbits' when asked about breach of Covid travel regulations in Offaly

A MAN who was prosecuted for an alleged breach of the Covid-19 travel rules told gardai he had been “lamping rabbits” at the time.

John McDonagh (24), Drumbane, Birr, Co Offaly, was summonsed by Garda Brendan Kenny of Cloghan Garda Station under the movement of persons regulations.

Mr McDonagh did not appear at Tullamore District Court to answer the summons which alleged he breached the regulation limiting movements to within 5km of a person's home on February 4, 2021 at Leabeg, Boora.

Garda Kenny told the court it was 2.10am when he saw the accused with a number of other persons and when he asked him if he had a reasonable excuse for being more than 5km from his home the reply was that he was lamping rabbits.

Garda Kenny said there was evidence of lamps in a car and evidence of rabbits having been killed.

The garda added that he told Mr McDonagh that lamping rabbits was not a reasonable excuse for breaching the rule.

Having heard the garda, Judge King dismissed the prosecution because there had been no evidence put before him in relation to the regulations which had allegedly been breached.

Meanwhile, Judge King imposed a fine of €80 on a man who pleaded guilty to breaching the Covid-19 travel rules.  Patrick Delaney (55), Gortnamuck, Kilcormac, was convicted of committing the offence at Leabeg, Boora on February 19, 2021.

Garda Brendan Kenny said the man told him he was returning from checking on a horse. A fixed charge penalty notice of €80 was not paid.

Defending solicitor Donal Farrelly said his client was bringing water and hay to his horse and may have gone a "roundabout route".