Enniskillen courthouse
THREE Enniskillen men accused of giving false names to fishing officers when they were caught fishing at Lough Acrussell without licences have been fined at Fermanagh court.
27-year-old Sean Duffy, his father Thomas Duffy and Stephen Love (23) all admitted to a number of offences including unlicensed angling and failing to give details to fisheries.
A prosecuting officer outlined to the court that on Sunday, June 7, fishing officers were patrolling Lough Acrussell in Bellevue when they spotted one of the accused.
The officers approached him and asked to see his fishing licence but the defendant replied that it was at home and gave his name as Eugene Lynn.
The officers then noticed there were other fishing rods in the boxes which they discovered belonged to other people. A short time later two other men arrived and admitted to owning the fishing rods.
When the pair were asked for their names, they lied and said Stephen and Sean Lynn.
Sean, of Drumbawn, Enniskillen, told the officers that he owned the vehicle and that he had fishing documents at home.
After carrying out a number of investigations the fishing officers discovered that it was in fact Sean Duffy and not Lynn who owned the vehicle and they travelled to his home and was meet by the man who identified himself as Eugene Lynn.
This man was later identified as Thomas Duffy, of Drumbawn, Enniskillen.
The court heard that Duffy senior refused to give any further details. Following this the officers enlisted the help of police officers who accompanied them back to the accused’s home.
When they arrived at the address they spoke to Sean Lynn who confirmed his name as Sean Duffy and confirmed the name of the third man as Stephen Love of Sycamore Drive, Cavanaleck.
The defence solicitor for all three said that the defendants were all keen fishermen and that one of the men held a licence which expired in October last year.
The solicitor added: “He stopped fishing because it was very poor after the lake was polluted.
“He and his son Sean went pike fishing with Stephen who is in a relationship with Mr Duffy senior’s daughter.
“It never occurred to them to get a licence. The fishing trip was a spur of the moment decision.
“He was taken somewhat by surprise to see them (fishing officers) on a Sunday. Mr Duffy senior hasn’t returned to fishing since. Sean has now got a licence.”
The court was told that there wasn’t a stock issue in the lough or that it was out of season but that they didn’t have the licence to fish in that area.
It was also said that it costs approximately £20 per licence.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said they knew what they were doing adding: “What concerns me is that they gave false names.”
All three, who have no previous records, were fined for the offences.
Sean Duffy was fined a total of £434, Thomas Duffy was fined a total of £384 and Stephen Love was ordered to pay fines totalling £384.
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