Thousands of euros worth of damage was caused to the property during an after-hours party
LIMERICK Live has learned that a number of young people who were allegedly on the grounds of a property in College Court at the time it was destroyed have made voluntary statements to gardai.
According to sources, some of the young people were accompanied by their parents when they attended at Henry Street garda station in the city this week. It is understood they have sought legal advice.
Gardaí continue to seek the public’s assistance as part of an investigation into the burglary and criminal damage incident at a domestic residence in College Court, Castletroy on Wednesday, October 7.
Thousands of euros worth of damage – including a smashed window due to a bookshelf being thrown through the glass – was caused to the property during an after-hours party. The incident made headlines across the country last week and was the subject of much debate online.
Videos of the incident, which have been widely shared on social media, show young people throwing a bookshelf through a window, smashing in walls, and jumping off a ground-floor roof onto a mattress.
Limerick Live understands that not all those at the house that night were students, and not all of the students present study at UL.
There has been widespread criticism of the incident, with Mayor of Limerick John Moran expressing his “astonishment and real disappointment”.
Mayor Moran described the incident as “a matter for the guards” and told Limerick Live that he hopes the people responsible “understand that when there is misbehaviour like this, it does have consequences”.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, said he “couldn’t believe” the scenes.
“I don’t think there is any excusing it,” he added.
Uncertainty surrounds the future of the UL students allegedly involved in the incident.
A section of the University of Limerick’s code of conduct states that any internal investigation will be paused while a criminal investigation is ongoing.
Under section 2.4 of the code, UL students are expected to “treat all property off or on the UL campus with respect and shall not cause any damage to any such property”.
According to the university’s Handbook of Academic Regulations and Procedures, the Discipline Committee at the university, which deals with breaches of the code of conduct, is entitled to impose penalties “including suspension or expulsion where, in its view, the gravity of the allegation or offence or the University disciplinary record of the offender shall so warrant”.
UL Student Life said in an email to UL students: “We know that many of our students will be feeling a lot of anxiety, concern, worry and even frustration after the events that have unfolded in College Court this week.”
Students affected, directly or indirectly, by the incident, are advised to reach out to the available supports.
