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Man who mugged woman (73) who had just won €23k in city centre casino jailed for three years

Iancu Nicola (31) mugged the victim as she was collecting post from the postbox outside her home.

A MAN WHO mugged a 73-year-old woman who had just won €23,000 in a city centre casino has been jailed for three years. 

Iancu Nicola (31) mugged the victim as she was collecting post from the postbox outside her home. He and his accomplice Declan Connolly (41) had followed the woman from the casino to her home. 

A third man, Brian English (32), had earlier monitored the activities of the woman in the casino.

Nicola, previously of The Boulevard, Mount Garret, Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of the woman outside her home in Templeogue on 7 October 2016. He has six previous convictions for road traffic offences. 

Nicola absconded the day after the attack and was ultimately arrested in Romania five years later. He was brought back to Ireland on foot of a European Arrest Warrant in October 2021. He has been in custody pending sentence since his arrest. 

Connolly was sentenced to five years in prison with the final two and half years suspended, while English was given a three-year suspended sentence by Judge Martin Nolan in November 2019. 

Connolly, of Coultry Drive, Santry Avenue, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery. He has 11 previous convictions for minor offences which were dealt with in the District Court. 

English of Chancery Hall, North King Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to stealing the €23,000 from the woman after gardaí were satisfied that he acted as “a spotter” that evening and passed on information in relation to the victim. He has no previous convictions. 

Sentencing Nicola this morning, Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of a four-and-a-half year prison term. The suspension is on condition that Nicola keep the peace and engaged with the Probation Service after his release. 

Ian Woodland BL, defending, said his client had got involved in the offence because he had a gambling addiction at the time. Nicola’s sister had €18,000 in cash to be forwarded to the victim in the case. 

Detective Garda Peter Lyons said gardaí viewed a large amount of CCTV footage from the area and believed that the getaway vehicle had been fitted with false registration plates. They were then able to determine the true details of the car which had been registered to Connolly. 

Connolly’s home was searched, his mobile phone was seized and analysed and he was arrested. He made no admissions during garda interview. 

Detective Garda Lyons said CCTV footage from The Fitzwilliam Casino and Card Club, where the woman had successfully won the cash playing roulette, showed English monitoring her activities. A warrant was secured to search his home and a mobile phone was taken for analysis. 

The analysis showed communication between the phones up to the time the woman left the casino and CCTV footage also showed English approaching Connolly’s car at one point. 

English was arrested and interviewed but again made no admissions. 

Detective Garda Lyons said the woman was dragged down an embankment during the mugging and was left with severe bruising and cuts. 

Additional evidence from sentence hearing in 2019 

Detective Garda Lyons agreed with Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL, defending English, that his client’s role was to act as the “spotter in the casino” and that he was “very much out of his depth”. 

Detective Garda Lyons said he wouldn’t expect English to get into trouble again but he never found out why he got involved in the offence. He had €6,500 in court to offer as a token of remorse. 

He agreed with Kenneth Kearns BL, defending Connolly, that he has no convictions for violence and has not come to garda attention since. He accepted he had “a positive work history” and is a father to two children. 

Ó Dúnlaing said his client was fully aware he had “one foot in the door of Mountjoy Prison” but asked Judge Nolan to accept that his guilty pleas was offered on the basis of “joint enterprise”. 

“He is the least culpable. The most culpable isn’t even before the court,” counsel submitted before he added that English became involved after he was put under duress to pay off a gambling debt. 

Kearns said his client had €5,500 in court to offer as a token of remorse before Connolly took the stand to apologise for his actions.

“I have never been involved in anything like this before or since,” Connolly said, before he added that he had been attending counselling regularly to deal with his gambling addiction. He had a letter of apology for the victim.

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    Mute Ballybunion
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:32 AM

    So how did this man die? It’s reported that he died from being homeless, but that’s hardly a cause of death? If he succumbed to the elements then what elements exactly were these? It was a warm night and not the middle of January, but it’s easy to blame the fact he was homeless as the only factor at play here.

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:37 AM

    @Ballybunion: hang lets jump to conclusions before the facts come out again.

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    Mute Michael O'Neill
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:40 AM

    @Ballybunion: I was thinking that too. We’ve had 3 homeless people die last week. How many people with homes died?
    Should we have a vigil for them.

    Certainly, being homeless may have been (and probably was) a factor but we don’t know this because of the knee jerk responses by our media and bleeding hearts.

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    Mute Ísla Carabine
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:56 AM

    @Ballybunion: well he was convicted for knowingly passing HIV to a woman in Australia so I can’t imagine he was using his anti retroviral drugs himself and not selling them etc. That’s just a guess.

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    Mute White Rabbit
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:11 AM

    @Michael O’Neill: come back to us Michael when you’re down on your luck.

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:36 AM

    @Ballybunion: Ahh sure h was a saint when he died. The fools couldn’t praise him enough when all they had to do was ask themselves why he wasn’t rehomed? And it would be nice for the media to actually find the truth about homelessness and most of the stories behind it instead of promoting lies. E.g. how many were offered homes and refused them because they want certain areas

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    Mute Michael Geraghty
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:47 AM

    @White Rabbit: he wasn’t just down on his luck though was he? According to the reports he has 40 convictions in 19 yrs in Australia and three very serious ones, sexual assaults and knowingly infecting a woman with HIV.

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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:49 AM

    @Michael O’Neill: we need to hear what was the cause of death in each case, I’m sure PMs were held in each case, the weather was not cold, apparently one died in a hotel room. There may have been other factors at play , we simply don’t know. Anyway, homelessness is not a disease, but stress and fear might contribute. Substance abuse could be a factor , we just don’t know.

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    Mute Kevin Moylan
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:59 AM

    @Michael O’Neill: the bleeding hearts cough has been softened since it emerged that he was a pervert .gone very quiet all of a sudden

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    Mute Benny McHale
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    Sep 6th 2017, 10:25 AM

    @Michael O’Neill: I don’t think you’d need to be a bleeding heart to assume you’ve a greater chance of survival in a bed than you have on the street.

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    Mute Mike
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:50 AM

    The journal has been slow to go with this story. Often times the those on the streets have refused help from the state and NGOs. There is often drug abuse and other issues. In this country those who work with the state/NGOs (funded by the state and others) have no reason to be on the streets.

    Supposedly sad cases like the man in this article are used to push for socialist model of housing in Ireland. Homeless now includes those picking and choosing where the state houses them for free who live in hotels as the taxpayers expense as they have refused everything put their way. Hotels should be a last resort where someone would be on the street not because someone doesn’t like the accommodation offered.

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:47 AM

    @Mike: Exactly. But why won’t the media give us the real stories instead of the crap they insist on feeding us. People who stay in hotels after refusing the help of a place to stay until they get back on their feet need to be charged for staying in hotels. Why should the taxpayer foot the bill. It’s not the taxpayers job to rehome all in their preferred area after all there are many taxpayers commuting hours everyday to keep these ungrateful lazybones in hotels

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    Mute John Kehoe
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:05 AM

    Where are all the do gooders saying what a lovely gentle man this guy was now?

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:43 AM

    I find it funny how the file photo changed from him modeling for a photoshoot to a mugshot. Its like “oops we defended a child abuser”.

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:17 AM

    @Shawn O’Ceallaghan: definitely a man of conviction!!!

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    Mute Paul Flood
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:35 AM

    Good enough for him.
    But what a bunch of fickle bleeding heart liberals ‘the moaners’ and ‘everything for free’ groups really are.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello.
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:50 AM

    @Paul Flood: If by “fickle” you mean “lose the will to memorials you after it emerges you’re a convicted child sex offender, then yes I suppose we are fickle.

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    Mute Paul O Riordan
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:32 AM

    At least 1 of the other homeless people who died recently had a dodgy past.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:36 AM

    @Paul O Riordan: grow a pair and actually say something instead of doing equal damage to the good and the bad by not having the courage of your convictions

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    Mute Barry C Mc Govern
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:38 AM

    @Paul O Riordan: you sound very pleased that that might be the case.

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    Mute Brinster
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:34 AM

    Doesn’t change the fact that we need more social housing to be built. Now.

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    Mute Paul Flood
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:52 AM

    @Brinster: SOLUTION TO SOCIAL HOUSING PROBLEM: get a job; work hard; cancel sky sports; lose the sense of entitlement chip on your shoulder; don’t expect the state to ‘mammy’ you and they’ll you’ll be able to buy a house like the rest of us.

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    Mute Ísla Carabine
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:57 AM

    @Paul Flood: how ignorant.

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    Mute Davids Levin
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:59 AM

    @Paul Flood: get back to work you. stop skiving on the Internet

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    Mute John Kennedy
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:03 AM

    @Brinster: Genuine question, How many social housing units do we need to build?, 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000?, where are the serviced sites to build the houses?, how much will it cost?, how will we fund it?. what amount of rent should we set to recover the financial outlay?. I don’t want to hear about Irish Water, the Foreign Aid budget or what we are giving to immigrants, or whatever other “whataboutery” come to mind.
    Like I say, genuine question

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    Mute Patricia Kennedy
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:17 AM

    @Paul Flood: pretty smug reply Paul nothing is that cut and dried. Shit happens and not everyone is in a position to buy a house. There should be an alternative and council housing was always there for that purpose.

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    Mute Ísla Carabine
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:21 AM

    @Patricia Kennedy: the rent to buy scheme always seemed like a brilliant idea to me. I don’t know if they’ve scrapped it entirely or if the restrictions are so much that there’s only a tiny amount of people who can avail

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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:26 AM

    @Paul Flood: I did all of those things you say and very very successful too. But somehow I don’t think like you – which is a great relief to me.

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    Mute Paul Flood
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:27 AM

    @Patricia Kennedy: you’re right Patrica, it was smug. However, all the media coverage and rhetoric concentrates on the needs of the ‘everything for free’ brigade.
    What about the Majorie of people who can barely afford to pay for their own house never mind a free house for someone else -particularly if that someone else doesn’t have to work and sits on their arse all day and spends their life living off the state.
    Granted there are some genuine cases -and that’s what a social state should cater for – but the majority are spongers that have no intention of weaning off the state.

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    Mute Paul Flood
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:30 AM

    @Austin Rock: and may you find serenity in your relief. But I would suggest there are many other organisations that deserve your largesse -temple street children’s for example- rather than the free for all spongers on state aid.
    I, for one, would prefer to see my taxes going to a more worthy cause.

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    Mute Paul Flood
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:32 AM

    @Ísla Carabine: shut up you tool. I’ve as much insight to the issue as anyone else.

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    Mute Shane o rourke
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:38 AM

    @Austin Rock: virtue signal much?

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:49 AM

    @Ísla Carabine: how is that ignorant? You think everyone should have everything handed on a plate to them!

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    Mute Mary Murphy
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:54 AM

    @Patricia Kennedy: Most people will make their own way in the world. But in recent years it’s become quit obvious that the taxpayer is being played for a fool. There are a lot of homeless living in hotels who just want to take and who will only take what they’d like not what’s offered. If you’re offered something to help you get back on your feet and you refuse it because you only want what you want then you should be homeless not living in a hotel on my dime

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    Mute Ísla Carabine
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:56 AM

    @Mary Murphy: not at all but it really is not as easy as that for everyone. There will always be people who need help

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    Mute Paul Flood
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    Sep 6th 2017, 10:25 AM

    @Ísla Carabine: how did you know? Have you hacked my camera phone again?
    Anyway, that’s sexist, or racist or at least discriminatory in some sort of way against us of the mono-active sexually aware cohort of society. My dignity is offended. Where’s my outrage?

    I shouldn’t have called you a tool btw. I suspect you are prob one of they few genuine cases but 95% are just spongers that will not make an effort to wean themselves of state handouts.

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    Mute Mairtin Antaine O Conaill
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:56 AM

    This is a prime example of why you can’t trust the media. No background information or investigations before the story is released. The media are only interested in the big headline.

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    Mute Blah blah
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:54 AM

    This is an example of what was wrong with the whole home sweet home debacle.
    This man was involved in the occupation, stayed in the building and was allegedly helping out…he was a sexual predator in a place with a lot of vulnerable people. An example why specialised services are needed for many homeless not just putting people in a unused unsuitable building

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:30 AM

    So is homelessness now acceptable if you have erred in your past? It would be nice if someone published a list of offences to explain which crimes are covered

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    Mute Barry Davidson
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:33 AM

    @Nick Allen: erred!!!!!

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:40 AM

    @Nick Allen: sexual assault on a child is more than an “erred past”.

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    Mute Michael O'Neill
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:41 AM

    @Nick Allen: Yeah, I’d say child abuse would be in the list.

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:55 AM

    @Nick Allen: Wow….

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    Mute Shane o rourke
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    Sep 6th 2017, 8:59 AM

    @Nick Allen: erred in your past?he was convicted of raping two girls under 16 you absolute dirt bird.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:54 AM

    @Shane o rourke:

    Quality post Shane

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    Mute Noel James Doherty
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:26 AM

    Was he Irish or what? “Amassed 40 convictions in Australia”?? The name would be common in Australia I’m presuming they didn’t deport one of their own & he ended up here (there might be people here think that it’s irrelevant to the story but it’s a fair ask)

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    Mute gerry fallon
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:42 AM

    Isint always the same in this country. We’re all ready to extend our sympathies but are made to look really foolish by the stupid inept reporters who never get their story right.
    Poor “Jack” was a criminal but hoodwinked everybody.Shame on him ok.
    He took advantage of our hospitality. We need to ask more questions before we pour our heart out in future.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:57 AM

    Its quite amazing how so many people cannot compartmentalise two important issues

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    Mute bfreesun
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:59 AM

    Nice to see the Irish version of Charity is alive and well on these pages. Only the deserving poor are entitled to help. Anybody else can die on the streets.

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    Mute Fergus Sheahan
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    Sep 6th 2017, 10:12 AM

    @bfreesun: Yes sex offenders and criminals can die on the street. I’m happy enough with that.

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    Mute Eoin
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:24 AM

    If he is a sex offender well then to he’ll with him.

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    Mute Paul Santry
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    Sep 6th 2017, 10:11 AM

    @John Kennedy: they are good questions. But you should be asking your local TD for answers, not Brinster

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    Mute Michael O'Neill
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    Sep 6th 2017, 9:54 AM

    @White Rabbit: Nah. Just have a vigil for me when I die.

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