Council employee, 61, who launched two RATS into his office ‘due to a grievance along with his boss’ is jailed for six months

  • Ex-council employee who launched rats into his office is jailed for six months
  • John O’Neill admitted inflicting prison injury at Cork County Council’s places of work
  • The 61-year-old had allegedly had a grievance along with his former employer
  • Decide known as O’Neill’s actions ‘uniquely depraved’ and ‘dedicated with malice’










A council worker from the Republic of Eire who launched two rats at his office due to an alleged grievance along with his boss has been jailed for six months.

John O’Neill, of Glanduff, County Cork, pleaded responsible to inflicting prison injury by releasing rats at Cork County Council’s places of work in February.

The 61-year-old, who had labored for the council for 23 years, was captured on CCTV getting into the constructing with an merchandise lined by his jacket and leaving shortly afterwards. When employees got here to work the following day, the places of work have been lined in excrement.

John O'Neill, of Glanduff, County Cork, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage by releasing rats at Cork County Council's offices in February (stock image)

John O’Neill, of Glanduff, County Cork, pleaded responsible to inflicting prison injury by releasing rats at Cork County Council’s places of work in February (inventory picture)

Pest management officers have been known as in and recognized the supply, the BBC reported. Administration reported their suspicions that the rat infestation was deliberate in March.

Garda Sgt Paul Kelly informed Bandon District Courtroom that over the course of some days the places of work have been ‘destroyed in excrement’. The cleansing course of, along with the injury triggered, price about €3,000 (£2,530). 

O’Neill, who had no earlier convictions, was subsequently arrested and made ‘full and frank admissions’, Sgt Kelly stated. His solicitor stated O’Neill had introduced €3,000 to courtroom in compensation for his actions. 

The utmost sentence within the case was €2,500 or 12 months in jail.

Defence solicitor Diarmuid O’Shea stated O’Neill had merely ‘flipped’, however Decide James McNulty stated that there have been loads of methods of coping with emotions of stress that didn’t contain releasing rats into an workplace.

Sentencing O’Neill to 12 months however suspended for six, the choose known as O’Neill’s actions ‘uniquely depraved’ and ‘dedicated with malice’. 

‘This required forethought and was a deliberate act. He wanted to catch and discover rats, he wanted to launch them,’ the choose added.     

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