Latest news with #O'Connor
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Wicklow man who drove with Lidl manager on car bonnet after checkout row escapes jail term
A RETIRED TRADESMAN has avoided prison over an incident in a supermarket car park in Wicklow Town in which he drove a short distance with a store manager on the bonnet of his vehicle following a row at a checkout. Thomas O'Connor (67) of Two Mile House, Ballinteskin, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment over the incident at the Lidl supermarket on Rathnew Road, Co Wicklow on 3 July, 2023 contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Garda James Downey told a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court that there had been an issue between the store's assistant manager and the accused in relation to the payment for a small item. CCTV footage played in court showed that the manager attempted to place a shopping trolley in front of O'Connor's vehicle in order to speak further with him as the accused was driving out of the car park. Video images show the supermarket employee was briefly pushed onto the bonnet of the vehicle which was travelling at a slow speed before O'Connor drove away, cutting inside a van coming into the car park on the wrong side as he made his exit. Garda Downey said O'Connor was arrested in December 2023 and identified himself on the CCTV footage and accepted responsibility for his driving. The court heard he told gardaí: 'What can I say? At least no-one was hurt. I was panicked.' O'Connor also added that he was 'deeply sorry'. Garda Downey confirmed to prosecution counsel, James Kelly BL, that the accused had no previous convictions. Cross-examined by defence counsel, Edmund Sweetman BL, Garda Downey agreed that the incident arose from a dispute over what items were paid for. The court heard there was an issue about whether the customer had given the cashier a €5 or €10 note which resulted in O'Connor leaving the store with two packs of hash browns and leaving another behind at the checkout. Garda Downey said the accused had taken offence at being challenged by Lidl staff. Mr Kelly observed that O'Connor had 'left in high dudgeon and took off.' Mr Sweetman said there was no justification for the defendant's 'most irrational behaviour.' Pleading for leniency, the barrister said O'Connor had a previously unblemished character and had recently retired from a career working as a plasterer. He said the accused had brought €1,000 to court for his victim as an expression of his remorse. Sentencing O'Connor to three months in prison, Judge Terence O'Sullivan said he would fully suspend the term of imprisonment for a period of six months on condition that he keep the peace for that period and not come to Garda attention. The judge said the accused's driving was reckless and it was lucky that no harm had come to the Lidl manager. He said O'Connor knew there was some sort of row with the supermarket's staff and there was no justification for endangering the store official, although the judge acknowledged the accused was assessed as being at a low risk of reoffending. Judge O'Sullivan said he accepted that the defendant 'simply panicked in temper'. 'It was one of those occasions where the red mist descended when it shouldn't have,' the judge remarked. Having heard that O'Connor lives in an area with poor public transport and has a wife with health issues, Judge O'Sullivan said he would not impose any driving disqualification on him. Advertisement Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Sunday World
2 hours ago
- Sunday World
Wickow man (67) drove away with Lidl manager on bonnet of car after checkout row
'It was one of those occasions where the red mist descended when it shouldn't have' A retired tradesman has avoided prison over an incident in a supermarket car park in Wicklow Town in which he drove a short distance with a store manager on the bonnet of his vehicle following a row at a checkout. Thomas O'Connor (67) of Two Mile House, Ballinteskin, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment over the incident at the Lidl supermarket on Rathnew Road, Co Wicklow on July 3, 2023 contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Garda James Downey told a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court that there had been an issue between the store's assistant manager and the accused in relation to the payment for a small item. . News in 90 Seconds - June 20th CCTV footage played in court showed that the manager attempted to place a shopping trolley in front of O'Connor's vehicle in order to speak further with him as the accused was driving out of the car park. Video images show the supermarket employee was briefly pushed onto the bonnet of the vehicle which was travelling at a slow speed before O'Connor drove away cutting inside a van coming into the car park on the wrong side as he made his exit. Garda Downey said O'Connor was arrested in December 2023 and identified himself on the CCTV footage and accepted responsibility for his driving. The court heard he told gardaí: 'What can I say? At least non-one was hurt. I was panicked.' O'Connor also added that he was 'deeply sorry.' Garda Downey confirmed to prosecution counsel, James Kelly BL, that the accused had no previous convictions. Cross-examined by defence counsel, Edmund Sweetman BL, Garda Downey agreed that the incident arose from a dispute over what items were paid for. The court heard there was an issue about whether the customer had given the cashier a €5 or €10 note which resulted in O'Connor leaving the store with two packs of hash browns and leaving another behind at the checkout. Garda Downey said the accused had taken offence at being challenged by Lidl staff. Mr Kelly observed that O'Connor had 'left in high dudgeon and took off.' Mr Sweetman said there was no justification for the defendant's 'most irrational behaviour.' Pleading for leniency, the barrister said O'Connor had a previously unblemished character and had recently retired from a career working as a said the accused had brought €1,000 to court for his victim as an expression of his remorse. Sentencing O'Connor to three months in prison, Judge Terence O'Sullivan said he would fully suspend the term of imprisonment for a period of six months on condition that he keep the peace for that period and not come to Garda attention. The judge said the accused's driving was reckless and it was lucky that no harm had come to the Lidl manager. He said O'Connor knew there was some sort of row with the supermarket's staff and there was no justification for endangering the store official, although the judge acknowledged the accused was assessed as being at a low risk of reoffending. Judge O'Sullivan said he accepted that the defendant 'simply panicked in temper.' 'It was one of those occasions where the red mist descended when it shouldn't have,' the judge remarked. Having heard that O'Connor lives in an area with poor public transport and has a wife with health issues, Judge O'Sullivan said he would not impose any driving disqualification on him.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Retired tradesman avoids jail for driving with Lidl manager on car bonnet after checkout row
A retired tradesman has avoided prison over an incident in a supermarket car park in Wicklow Town in which he drove a short distance with a store manager on the bonnet of his vehicle following a row at a checkout. Thomas O'Connor, aged 67, of Two Mile House, Ballinteskin, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment over the incident at the Lidl supermarket on Rathnew Road, Co Wicklow, on July 3, 2023, contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Garda James Downey told a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court that there had been an issue between the store's assistant manager and the accused in relation to the payment for a small item. CCTV footage played in court showed that the manager attempted to place a shopping trolley in front of O'Connor's vehicle in order to speak further with him as the accused was driving out of the car park. Video images show the supermarket employee was briefly pushed onto the bonnet of the vehicle which was travelling at a slow speed before O'Connor drove away cutting inside a van coming into the car park on the wrong side as he made his exit. Garda Downey said O'Connor was arrested in December 2023 and identified himself on the CCTV footage and accepted responsibility for his driving. The court heard he told gardaí: 'What can I say? At least no-one was hurt. I was panicked.' O'Connor also added that he was 'deeply sorry.' Garda Downey confirmed to prosecution counsel, James Kelly BL, that the accused had no previous convictions. Cross-examined by defence counsel, Edmund Sweetman BL, Garda Downey agreed that the incident arose from a dispute over what items were paid for. The court heard there was an issue about whether the customer had given the cashier a €5 or €10 note which resulted in O'Connor leaving the store with two packs of hash browns and leaving another behind at the checkout. Garda Downey said the accused had taken offence at being challenged by Lidl staff. Mr Kelly observed that O'Connor had 'left in high dudgeon and took off.' Mr Sweetman said there was no justification for the defendant's 'most irrational behaviour'. Pleading for leniency, the barrister said O'Connor had a previously unblemished character and had recently retired from a career working as a plasterer. He said the accused had brought €1,000 to court for his victim as an expression of his remorse. Sentencing Sentencing O'Connor to three months in prison, Judge Terence O'Sullivan said he would fully suspend the term of imprisonment for a period of six months on condition that he keep the peace for that period and not come to Garda attention. The judge said the accused's driving was reckless and it was lucky that no harm had come to the Lidl manager. He said O'Connor knew there was some sort of row with the supermarket's staff and there was no justification for endangering the store official, although the judge acknowledged the accused was assessed as being at a low risk of re-offending. Judge O'Sullivan said he accepted that the defendant 'simply panicked in temper'. 'It was one of those occasions where the red mist descended when it shouldn't have,' the judge remarked. Having heard that O'Connor lives in an area with poor public transport and has a wife with health issues, Judge O'Sullivan said he would not impose any driving disqualification on him.
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man drove with Lidl manager on bonnet of car following row over hash browns
A retired tradesman has avoided prison over an incident in a supermarket car park in Wicklow Town in which he drove a short distance with a store manager on the bonnet of his vehicle following a row at a checkout. Thomas O'Connor (67) of Two Mile House, Ballinteskin, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment over the incident at the Lidl supermarket on Rathnew Road, Co Wicklow on July 3, 2023 contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Garda James Downey told a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court that there had been an issue between the store's assistant manager and the accused in relation to the payment for a small item. CCTV footage played in court showed that the manager attempted to place a shopping trolley in front of O'Connor's vehicle in order to speak further with him as the accused was driving out of the car park. Video images show the supermarket employee was briefly pushed onto the bonnet of the vehicle which was travelling at a slow speed before O'Connor drove away cutting inside a van coming into the car park on the wrong side as he made his exit. Garda Downey said O'Connor was arrested in December 2023 and identified himself on the CCTV footage and accepted responsibility for his driving. The court heard he told gardaí: 'What can I say? At least non-one was hurt. I was panicked.' O'Connor also added that he was 'deeply sorry.' Garda Downey confirmed to prosecution counsel, James Kelly BL, that the accused had no previous convictions. Cross-examined by defence counsel, Edmund Sweetman BL, Garda Downey agreed that the incident arose from a dispute over what items were paid for. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week The court heard there was an issue about whether the customer had given the cashier a €5 or €10 note which resulted in O'Connor leaving the store with two packs of hash browns and leaving another behind at the checkout. Garda Downey said the accused had taken offence at being challenged by Lidl staff. Mr Kelly observed that O'Connor had 'left in high dudgeon and took off.' Mr Sweetman said there was no justification for the defendant's 'most irrational behaviour.' Pleading for leniency, the barrister said O'Connor had a previously unblemished character and had recently retired from a career working as a plasterer. He said the accused had brought €1,000 to court for his victim as an expression of his remorse. Sentencing O'Connor to three months in prison, Judge Terence O'Sullivan said he would fully suspend the term of imprisonment for a period of six months on condition that he keep the peace for that period and not come to Garda attention. The judge said the accused's driving was reckless and it was lucky that no harm had come to the Lidl manager. He said O'Connor knew there was some sort of row with the supermarket's staff and there was no justification for endangering the store official, although the judge acknowledged the accused was assessed as being at a low risk of reoffending. Judge O'Sullivan said he accepted that the defendant 'simply panicked in temper.' 'It was one of those occasions where the red mist descended when it shouldn't have,' the judge remarked. Having heard that O'Connor lives in an area with poor public transport and has a wife with health issues, Judge O'Sullivan said he would not impose any driving disqualification on him.
The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'It's crazy': Wallabies relive infamous burger brouhaha
It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally." It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally." It remains etched forever in Lions series folklore but 2013 Wallabies teammates reckon Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor's infamous early-morning burger bust was "blown out of proportion".Beale and O'Connor being captured at 3.50am at a fast food outlet between the first and second Tests of the previous series in Australia, 12 years ago, sent Fleet Street into a frenzy. Sans Quade Cooper, the other two of Australian rugby's so-called 'Three Amigos' watched their then-club side Melbourne Rebels lose to the British and Irish Lions' mid-week outfit 35-0 in Melbourne before heading to a post-match function. Rugby Australia accepted the pair's explanation that they had not been drinking and opted to take no disciplinary action Beale and O'Connor, who helped the Wallabies level the series four days later with a 16-15 victory over the Lions. "We were just hungry," Beale told AAP this week while reflecting on the "error in judgement". "We went in there and got a feed, and then we were heading back to the hotel. And then these guys took the photo and they put it in the paper. "I thought we were doing a good thing, saying 'G'day'. These lads were full of alcohol and sent it into the paper. And here we are. "I mean, looking at it now, I don't really see anything of it really." Nor did Beale's teammates. "I was vice-captain at the time and I didn't think about it as being a big deal," halfback Will Genia told AAP. "They just had Burger King on a Tuesday night and we had Wednesday off. "The biggest thing was probably that they were out late. If they were going to be up late, they probably would have been better off being in their rooms. "But at the end of the day, I thought that was blown out of proportion. "Those sorts of things happen. Like players are in their room til three o'clock in the morning playing PlayStation or whatever the games are called these days. "What that does go to show, though, is the level of scrutiny and the level of attention that is on these tours is a different level. "And that's what I loved about it. That's what I really enjoyed about it. I love that it was this massive event." Looking back, Beale shrugs off the episode as "another embarrassing moment where it probably got taken out of perspective a bit". "We didn't really know any better," he said. "We still turned up the next day, rocked up, still trained, did our job for the team."But understanding now how that could have a negative impact on the team and the look, we could probably look back and regret that decision."But there was no intention to go out. It was the time when social media was starting to get out."It's one that you just look back on and just got to understand the power of social media. "With phones, people have got a camera everywhere. It's crazy." More than a decade on, Beale's missed late penalty kick when he had the chance to boot Australia to victory in the first Test three days earlier remains the more regrettable slip-up for he and Genia. "The pitch was a bit soggy and I wasn't wearing studs that day either. I was wearing moulds, which is probably the biggest learning curve I've taken," recalls Beale, who still "looks away" whenever footage of the slip is shown. While he doesn't blame Beale, Genia maintains that missed shot at goal and a loose kick from Berrick Barnes that allowed George North to score in the Lions' 23-21 win ultimately proved the turning point of the series. "The reason I can say we we lost the series is we should have won the first Test," Genia said. "We won the second but it took a lot out of us emotionally to come back and win that, and then we were probably a bit flat. We couldn't recover emotionally."
