Judge orders arrest of former Labour senator.

Scoundrel

Judge orders arrest of former Labour senator accused of stealing from private member's club
J
March 03 2020 03:56 PM

A JUDGE has ordered the arrest of a former a Labour party senator accused of stealing from a top private member’s only club in Dublin.

James Heffernan, 40, with an address at Main Street, Kilfinane, Co. Limerick, was due to appear at Dublin District Court to face charges in connection with two alleged incidents.

He was accused of theft of a coat valued at €80, and a book called Dail Eireann parliamentary debates 1923, valued at €225, at the Stephen’s Green Club, in Dublin 2 on August 7 last.

The former politician also faced Public Order Act charges over an alleged incident at Lincoln Place in Dublin 2 on January 14.

Bail had been granted last month and he was due to come back to court today to say how he intended to plead.

However, he did not show up and his barrister John Griffin said he had not seen the accused at court.

Judge Michael Walsh issued a bench warrant for Mr Heffernan’s arrest.

Last month, Detective Sergeant Eugene McCarthy told the court that when he charged him with the theft offences, Mr Heffernan replied, “there’s no hope that jacket was worth €80, tell them I’ll swap them a jacket”. He had also said “give it back” in relation to the book theft.

There was CCTV evidence.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that it could be dealt with at district court level and jurisdiction has been accepted.

The court heard there was no video evidence of the alleged public order incident.

An order for disclosure has been made.

On February 4, he was granted legal aid after he furnished the court with a statement of his means.

His solicitor Brian Keenan said Mr Heffernan was not working and was on social welfare.

The qualified primary school teacher and ex-member of Limerick Co. Council was elected for Labour to the 24th Seanad in 2011 but lost the party whip the following year when he voted against budget cuts.

He joined the Social Democrats in 2015 and was an unsuccessful candidate for the party in the 2016 general election.

Online Editors

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/judge-orders-arrest-of-former-labour-senator-accused-of-stealing-from-private-members-club-39010357.html

L1011

Always reported (he's been reported on a lot) as Labour when he was an early member of the soc dems and their biggest donor one year. They deleted him off their website the day his first scandal appeared though!

Scoundrel

L1011 wrote: »

Always reported (he's been reported on a lot) as Labour when he was an early member of the soc dems and their biggest donor one year. They deleted him off their website the day his first scandal appeared though!

Yeah I just googled the name there seems quite sad really he's obviously in the grip of an addiction.

For Forks Sake

Should thread title not read "Soc Dem candidate" as they were his most recent political home?

Peregrinus

Possibly. But he's much more notable for his stint as a Senator than he is for his later stint as an unsuccessful candidate.

L1011

Peregrinus wrote: »

Possibly. But he's much more notable for his stint as a Senator than he is for his later stint as an unsuccessful candidate.

He was a SD senator also, he swapped during term. Was a non-Labour senator for longer than he was a Labour one.

Anyway, I'd now say he's more notable for his multiple runins with the law than anything else.

Hotblack Desiato

He's just been convicted again. I didn't see it reported at the time but he tried to get his name on the TCD Seanad by-election ballot (as an independent) last year, didn't go well:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41140708.html

Guy is obviously suffering with his demons but he's been up before the courts many times over the years at this point, still didn't have the sense to plead guilty:

Judge John Cheatle imposed a four-month sentence suspended on the condition Heffernan did not re-offend for 18 months. He had 33 prior convictions: 14 under the Public Order Act, three assaults, thefts including burglary, and road traffic offences.

He was jailed a few years back for assaulting gardai at a music festival.

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2019/0412/1042333-former-senator-jailed/

Whatever about politics he really needs to stay away from the drink for his own sake.