Bandon District Court Cork heard that John O'Neill of Glanduff, Kilbrittain, County Cork released the live rats into Rathbeg Council Offices in Kinsale on the 9th of February of this year.
Sergeant Paul Kelly told Judge McNulty and the Bandon District Court that pest control officers were called on the 12th of February after offices were “destroyed” in rat excrements with the cleaning process and damages cost around €3000.
On March 26th, management reported their suspicions that the rat infestation might be deliberate and Detective Garda Michael Brosnan of Kinsale started an investigation where John O'Neill was identified on CCTV as the person who released the live rats onsite.
Garda Brosnan arrested Mr O'Neill on May 24th and he was detained for questioning at Bandon Garda Station where he revealed that he only carried out the act due to a deteriorating relationship with management causing him stress.
Sergeant Kelly said that Mr O'Neill made "full and frank admissions” and that he was genuinely remorseful and cooperated fully with gardai.
Mr O'Neill pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage by releasing rats into the offices of Cork County Council in Rathbeg.
Judge Mcnulty told him that there were plenty of ways of dealing with stress that didn't involve releasing rats into an office and that the behaviour of the defendant was "uniquely wicked".
Mr O’Neill was represented solicitor Diarmuid O’Shea, who brought to the Courts attention that his client had no previous convictions and had never been known to gardai.
Mr O’Neill had been working for the council for 23 years but stepped down after the incident.
His solicitor claimed that due to Mr O’Neill’s deteriorating work-relationship he was dealing with high levels of stress, and "just flipped" on the day of the offence.
Judge McNulty discarded the claim saying that this was a deliberate act that involved planning:
"This required forethought and was a deliberate act. He needed to catch and find rats. He needed to release them."
Judge McNulty sentenced John O’Neill to six months in prison. The sentence is intended to send out a message and deter anyone else who may seek to offend in this manner.
An appeal has been lodged in the case.
