Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for man caught trying to throw mobile phone-filled football into prison

Summary

Niall Cully, 27, was caught by Gardaí while attempting to throw an orange plastic football, containing four mobile phones, into Dublin's Cloverhill prison. The officers, on patrol, observed him standing within the prison's railings and stopped him. Cully admitted the attempt and explained that he was under pressure to deliver the phones, citing his brother's pending murder trial inside the facility. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence of attempting to bring mobile phones into a prison on 2 June 2014. The judge, Martin Nolan, found Cully's actions foolish and ineffective, noting that the prisoners would not have received the phones. Consequently, Cully was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment, a warning that crime is a risky business. He had previously served a suspended portion of a five‑year sentence for possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for man caught trying to throw mobile phone-filled football into prison. Charges or matters: trying to bring mobile phones into a prison. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• June 2, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 2014 Incident
• November 2011 Incident
• 2016-03-16 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report