A Kilrush man has been convicted of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a fisheries officer following an incident on the Shannon Estuary in the summer of 2020.
At a sitting in Ennis of Kilrush District Court on Tuesday 8 February, John Linnane was convicted under Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act over the incident occurred during an investigation by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) into illegal fishing for wild salmon on 1 June 2020.
At Kilrush District Court, Judge Larkin imposed a two-month suspended sentence and 100 hours of community service on Linnane, pending on the outcome of a probation report.
At an earlier court sitting in November 2021, Linnane pleaded guilty to illegal fishing for wild salmon on the same date (1 June 2020) on the Shannon Estuary in Co Clare. Linnane is awaiting sentencing for this conviction.
Speaking after this week’s conviction, David McInerney, director of the Shannon River Basin District, said: “Threatening to kill or cause serious harm to an officer of the State is a very serious issue and Inland Fisheries Ireland would like to thank An Garda Síochána for their help in bringing this case before the courts.
“Fisheries officers are charged with the protection of valuable and often threatened fish stocks and this work is essential to ensure the protection of Ireland’s native fish species.
“We have to remember that the River Shannon is closed to salmon fishing because salmon stocks are significantly below levels that maintain a healthy, sustainable population.”
To report suspicions of illegal fishing, members of the public are encouraged to call IFI’s new confidential hotline number on 0818 34 74 24, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
