Derry Court: Dog cruelty accused jailed for driving and criminal damage offences at Foyle Golf Club

A Derry man who was charged last week with animal cruelty has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today for a series of driving and criminal damage offences.

Peter Toland (28) of Cornshell Fields in Derry admitted a series of charges relating to an incident when a golf buggy was stolen and damaged at the Foyle Golf Club.

The court heard that Toland had been released on bail on the animal cruelty charges but had not perfected that bail and was still in custody.

Another defendant Ethan Quigley (22) also of Cornshell Fields also admitted offences linked to the Foyle Golf Club incident.

The court heard that police were called to the Golf club and told that a buggy valued at £8,000 had been stolen by two men and driven around the course before being driven towards Ballyarnett.

The defendant Toland was seen running off from the buggy and was detained.

Quigley was also detained and forensic examination of the buggy revealed Toland's DNA.

The estimated damage was put at at least £2,100.

Defence counsel for Toland, Michael Donaghy, said this enterprise was 'always doomed to fail' and added that he had no idea what 'possessed them to take the buggy'.

He said that they might have thought it was 'a bit of crack but no one is laughing now'.

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Counsel for Quigley, Stephen Mooney, said his client 'should have known better' and said he believed this was his client's first encounter with the criminal justice system.

He said that Quigley's co-accused was in custody for 'notorious offences' that were alleged to have occurred in the city.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that Quigley had no record and imposed a sentence of 200 hours community service and ordered him to pay £1,500 in compensation.

As regards Toland the judge said that he had 38 previous convictions and had first appeared in court in 2013.

He said Toland was 'a major player in this matter' and the defendant Quigley 'only went along for the ride'.

He sentenced Toland to 6 months in prison, ordered him to pay £1,500 in compensation and disqualified him from driving for 5 years.