Man accused of lobbing eggs at his nextdoor neighbour's house in Laois

A man appeared in court accused of lobbing 20 or 30 eggs and yoghurt on his next door neighbour’s car and house in Portlaoise. 

Terry Fee (35) of 4 New Road, Portlaoise was accused of criminal damage at 3 New Road, Portlaoise on May 5, 2024. 

A sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told there was an issue between the neighbours due in part to the killing of a turkey belonging to one neighbour by three dogs belonging to the other. 

Mr Fee’s neighbour and Raymond Greene told gardaí the defendant had thrown the items at his car on the night in question. He said the estimated clean up cost was €580.

Garda Ailbhe Counihan told a sitting of Portlaoise District Court that she had attended at Mr Greene’s house. 

“There were a few eggs all over the car that was parked out in the yard,” she explained.  

She said she had attended Mr Fee’s house earlier that night due to a noise complaint. 

Solicitor Philip Meagher said “not only are they neighbours they are actually first cousins.” 

He said the noise complaint was made by Mr Greene earlier that night and the defendant had told gardaí that he had been clearing his back yard as he was expecting a delivery of stone the following day. 

Mr Meagher said his client explained to gardaí that he had been doing work before the stone arrived and he went to bed after talking to them. He said there was a nine or ten foot wall and fence dividing the properties and the car wouldn’t have been visible from his client’s house.  He said there was CCTV footage which didn’t show his client.   

In evidence, Raymond Greene said he had called gardaí about the noise. He said later that night he got a notification from his security camera and he went to a window to look. 

“I looked down to see Terry Fee lobbing eggs at the car,” he said. 

He told Mr Meagher that he had placed thick blankets on his car to protect it from objects. He said the side of his house, his car and the yard were struck by eggs. He said he got an estimate of €580 to clean up the mess. 

“That work was never done…I asked them to hold off in case there was another attack,” he said.

Mr Meagher suggested Mr Greene had significant differences with Mr Fee since three of his dogs attacked and killed his neighbour’s turkey and “your dogs were put down”. He said there had been complaints to the council and “baseless complaints” to TUSLA which he said TUSLA had deemed “malicious”.

“The council found in my favour,” said Mr Greene. “I never rang TUSLA,” Mr Greene added. 

Mr Meagher claimed he had “effectively manufactured this incident” and he said a number of people could have thrown the eggs. 

Mr Meagher said the property backs onto the town park and he suggested there was anti-social behaviour in the area. 

“There is anti-social behaviour there but they never caused me any problems,” said Mr Greene. 

“Your back garden backs directly onto the town park,” said Mr Meagher. 

Mr Greene said “you would never be able to throw them that distance.” 

Mr Meagher noted the defendant would have had to stand in his bathtub to look out at the rear yard. 

The complainant said he went straight to the bathroom after he got an alert because he could see from there. He said the council had told him not to have his camera overlooking the neighbour’s yard because of GDPR. 

When asked how many eggs he said, “I reckon between 20 and 30 eggs. The clothes on the line were destroyed as well. There was yoghurt as well,” he said. 

“I have no reason to lie about this matter,” said Mr Greene. 

CCTV from his house was shown which captured an egg being thrown into his yard. However, nobody could be seen in the footage. 

In evidence, Mr Fee said “I saw him at his bathroom window earlier in the night before the guards came.” 

He said he went straight to bed after the guards called. 

“I have had thousands of disagreements with Raymond,” he said.  

He explained that he had worked at a Turkey farm over Christmas and he had asked could he keep a turkey. 

“His three dogs came over and tore the turkey apart,” he said. 

“He rang the guards and the guards told him to put the dogs down,” Mr Fee said. 

Mr Fee said he hadn’t a clue about the eggs but claimed his house had been targeted in the past. 

“I didn’t do it and there is more than me that lives in the property,” said Mr Fee. 

Mr Meagher said there was “obviously a conflict in the evidence” and he didn’t believe the State had met the threshold for a conviction. 

Inspector Ruth Wall acknowledged that it was very much one neighbour’s word against the other. 

Judge Cody said there were three matters which concerned him. 

Firstly, he said Mr Greene stood in his bath and said he watched the defendant throw eggs but he never took a video or image on his phone. 

Secondly, he said he didn’t believe yoghurt that wasn’t in a container could be thrown ten or twelve feet. “I don’t think anyone can pelt yoghurt that far,” he said. 

Lastly, he said, there was no direct evidence aside from that of the complainant to implicate Mr Fee. 

“I am going to dismiss the charge,” said Judge Cody.