Crusading shopkeeper's shock tactics claim their first victim

A SHOPKEEPER who erected an electric shock defence on his store claimed his first victim at the weekend.

John O’Connor, owner of Custy’s traditional music shop, Ennis, Co Clare, confirmed yesterday that a man “got a shock and was thrown back” while urinating on the shop front in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mr O’Connor’s electric shock treatment for revellers who relieve themselves on his property off O’Connell Street went “live” at the weekend. He installed the “electric fence” in response to years of having to clean up urine, vomit and faeces at his shopfront every Monday morning.

“It has been a great success. Things have improved dramatically and there was no mess to clean up on Tuesday morning after the bank holiday weekend,” Mr O’Connor said.

Mr O’Connor confirmed the CCTV footage of the man urinating on his shopfront. “He did the discourtesy of urinating on the front door and everywhere, but had the courtesy to look at the camera to give a full description of who he is,” he said.

Mr O’Connor added that the electric shock sustained by the man “didn’t stop him and [he] continued on urinating down the lane”.

He said he had forwarded the footage to Ennis Garda station. He added if the Garda did not act, he would place “the quality image of the man out on the main street and let the public decide who it is”.

The chairman of the Joint Policing Committee in Ennis, Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab), said he intended to invite Mr O’Connor to address the next meeting of the committee in November on his initiative.

“Urinating in public over the years has become endemic . . . no one was confronting it . . . There is a groundswell of opinion there now and I hope that it doesn’t go stale,” Mr O’Connor said.