A German couple who have been living in north Leitrim for the past 10 years have told the High Court that they are being "terrorised" by neighbours attempting to drive them out of the area. Ray Managh reports.
Mr Roland Heine, a farmer, of Dowra, Co Leitrim, told Mr Justice Peart that his health and that of his wife was suffering because of a campaign of intimidation by vigilantes from Dowra.
Mr Justice Peart granted the couple an injunction restraining Dowra residents Mr Gerry McMorrow, Mr Noel Keegan, Mr Terry McGovern and Mr Joseph McPartland, Glengevlin, Co Cavan, from harassing, intimidating, watching or besetting them.
Mr Peter Bland, counsel for Mr and Mrs Heine, told the court that they were members of An Taisce and had objected to two developments to preserve the unspoilt scenic character of Dowra. They had been subjected to a campaign of trespass and intimidation to such an extent that they now lived in fear and had difficulty in sleeping.
Mr Bland said they and their property had been photographed and videotaped day and night. Gangs, including the four defendants, had ploughed their yard and lands in four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles. Locks on gates had also been cut. He said that the gangs had driven over plants and feeding troughs, scattering sheep in their path.
Mr Heine, in an affidavit, said that the campaign was a backlash to their planning objections. "My wife and I believe the true purpose of their actions is to punish us and drive us out of the locality because we are of German birth." He said Mr McMorrow was the ringleader. They had endured vigilante activity for months in the hope the thrill of terrorising them would wear thin.
"Instead, our quiescence seems to have emboldened them with the result that we fear some of them will stop at nothing to drive us out of our home," Mr Heine said.
None of the defendants appeared in court to oppose the granting of interlocutory injunctions.