A man who made bogus calls to the emergency services about bodies floating in the sea off Co Donegal has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Nathan Coughlan also broke into and robbed churches over a five-year period.
The 28-year-old appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he pleaded guilty to a number of charges.
Judge John Aylmer sentenced him to a total of three years and eight months in prison, but suspended the last 14 months of the sentence to encourage his rehabilitation.
In mitigation, he said that Coughlan had entered a guilty plea to all charges, was using his time while in jail well and turning his mind towards rehabilitation and his addiction to cocaine.
He also ordered the accused the enter the supervision and direction of The Probation Service, including the completion of any residential treatment programme recommended.
Coughlan, who is originally from Ennis in Co Clare, has 197 previous convictions.
He is in custody at Castlerea Prison since last October.
Major searches launched after bogus calls, court hears
The charges related to ten incidents carried out while he was either drunk or on drugs.
He pleaded guilty to making a false report at Single Street, Finner, Bundoran in Co Donegal, on 11 November 2019, that a person was on a cliff in horrendous weather conditions.
The call sparked a major rescue operation involving the Coast Guard, RNLI, fire service, gardaí and ambulance service.
A recording of the call identified Coughlan as the culprit. The accused said that he bought a cheap Nokia phone, used it and threw it into the sea.
Coughlan also admitted two more bogus calls reporting a body was floating in the sea at Bundoran on 21 February 2021 and 2 April 2021.
Again, the emergency services were launched including a Coast Guard helicopter. The cost of the fire service attending was €1,000 alone, the court was told.
Coughlan admitted entering the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Bundoran on 7 March 2021 by smashing a lock and attempting to steal from four donation boxes.
On 2 October 2022, he broke into the Sacred Heart Church on Station Road in Mountcharles, causing €630 in criminal damage and stealing €30 from donation boxes.
Coughlan caused criminal damage to a house belonging to Fr Patrick Dunne on Church Street in Ballyshannon on 8 September 2024.
The accused caused €2,700 of damage to stained glass windows when he broke into St Claire's Church in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim on 3 October 2024.
A key lock and two candelabras were also damaged and Coughlan entered the sacristy and removed the CCTV system valued at €500.
He pleaded guilty to a number of other burglaries, including stealing tools from a house in Kinlough, Co Leitrim and €240 in cash from Kernan’s Spar at Moorefield in Ramelton on 1 October 2024.
He also admitted breaking into Bundoran Adventure Park on 6 March 2021, stealing €1,100 of power tools and causing €400 of damage to windows while he was drunk.
Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court that all injured parties had been canvassed but none had made victim impact statements.
Coughlan was in 'self-destruct mode'
Coughlan’s solicitor, Peter Nolan, said that his client was resolute at all times about pleading guilty.
The latest probation report is not encouraging, Mr Nolan said, and places the accused at a very high risk of reoffending.
However, he has been in custody, is drug-free and an enhanced prisoner, the solicitor added.
He gave a background to Coughlan’s life stating that he left school at 15 and has had no meaningful employment.
Mr Nolan said that his client's previous convictions are extensive and the probation report did not show any green shoots.
But he suggested that the green shoots are in prison where he is trying to do his best to deal with his drug problem.
Coughlan took to the witness box and apologised to those he had hurt. He admitted that he put himself on a "self-destruct mode".
Although he has not seen his children for a number of months, he was adamant that if he stays off drugs he has a chance of getting back with his partner and seeing them again.
Asked by Mr Nolan if he had enough motivation to do this, Coughlan replied: "I do. I don’t want them going down the same road as me".
