Three men charged with disturbing tombs and interfering with human remains in a north Kerry cemetery two years ago were each given two-year suspended jail sentences by Judge Carroll Moran at the Circuit Court in Tralee yesterday.
The court was told the men had received treatment for alcohol addiction. A previous hearing had been told the men were looking for jewellery when they prised open the coffins and pulled back shrouds from corpses in Raheala Cemetery, Ballyduff. The judge said the offences had caused huge distress to the families of the deceased.
The three, Alan McNulty (29), Moreen Road, Sandyford, Dublin, Matthew O'Donnell (24), Aughills, Castlemaine, and John Smith (32), Moreen Avenue, Sandyford, had pleaded guilty to damaging the tombs.
They had further pleaded guilty to disturbing the remains of Bridie Fitzmaurice, interred only eight months.
All three had previous convictions, including driving offences, criminal damage and burglary.