A JUDGE HAS stated that he is blue in the face and frustrated by the total lack of resources for addiction clinics here.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keys made his comment after reading “a cry for help” letter from Kilrush man, Anthony Kelly Jr (40) of Crawford Street, Kilrush.

Kelly was before the court having earlier this year pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm to Colin Marshall at Place de Plouzan, Kilrush on 1 July 2018. 

Kelly pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Garda David King at the same location on the same date.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL said that the State had an application to revoke Mr Kelly’s bail.

Counsel for Kelly, Brian McInerney BL said that Kelly will not object to a remand in custody and he is most anxious that Judge Keys would read a letter that he has penned.

After reading the hand-written letter from Kelly, Judge Keys said: “The letter supports a lot of the utterances that I have been making from this bench about the failure to provide addiction facilities to people who are addicted to drugs.”

Judge Keys stated: “I cannot understand that those who have the power to provide these resources seem to fail to understand that the introduction of such centres would reduce substantially the amount of crime in this country and it would pay for itself and produce savings.”

Judge Keys said that in his letter Kelly pleads ‘please, would somebody help me’.

In response, McInerney said: “I think the letter could be described as “a cry for help” and by not objecting to custody I think it is a recognition of reality and bad and all as prison is, for this short period it will be some form of refuge for him.”

McInerney said that the court has made such comments in the past and the solution requires joined up thinking.

In reply, Judge Keys said: “But it is falling on deaf ears.”

Judge Keys remanded Kelly in custody until 8 November for sentence.