Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Updated, June 13, 20:28
A GROUP OF HIKERS who got into trouble on a mountain in Wicklow were reached by rescue teams who used the walkers’ GPS smartphones to find them.
The four adults were descending Lugnaquilla late last night when they were caught by descending cloud and poor visibility. Walking south of the Defence Forces artillery range near the Dereen River, they called gardai who alerted mountain rescue teams at 9.45pm. The rescuers then used GPS co-ordinates from the hikers’ smartphones to pinpoint their exact location and send out a search party.
Hugh McLindon, of the Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team, told TheJournal.ie: “On some iPhones or smartphones there’s a GPS capacity, and in this case it proved to be useful. They were able to give us their us their latitude and longitude co-ordinates and we could convert it to a grid reference on a map. So we could get quite close to them that way.
“The descent route from Lugnaquilla has two routes and they’re well marked, but there’s always the possibility of straying off them so the group were understandably nervous.”
There were no injuries during the rescue operation, which was also assisted by the Defence Forces and gardai.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Can’t see this 16 year old as being a boh. Especially given the offences. Disgusting.
At least he’s been charged which will be some tiny justice for the mans grieving family.
Name him!
I thought that it was fascinating that the mother was charged with perverting the course of justice. I’m not sure of the details, but I envisage that she is one of those mothers that has a cut off the principle when teachers try to discipline her child, which is probably why he thought he could get away with it. Offences in school need to be treated in the same manner as offences on the street or we’ll end up with the same problems as the UK. ‘Bullies’ should be referred to an Garda Siochana for assault or intimidation. Student with fireworks and bangers are in possession of illegal explosives and should be referred to police also. We’ve let society get out of hand and have not been responsible in protecting the innocent from thugs.
This was a failure of by the mother in teaching her son right and wrong, as well as a failure of the state to take an active interest in the upbringing of children. If the parents can’t or won’t perform the repsonsibilities, the state must do it for them.
Not sure how public education works in Ireland or the U.K., but maybe there should be the adoption of police departments dedicated to the school system, and take student discipline from the principal, teacher, parent, etc.
In many places in the U.S., there are police empowered by the school districts to guard school property and “police” the students. Depending on the severity of the infraction, they can issue a fine against the parents, refer the students removal to an alternative discipline school, or go further to refer the students to the state for formal charges.
If that system were in place, maybe this kid would not have been free to murder.
have your say