Judge shows sympathy towards “Bog Hotel” owner

The 74-year-old owner of a private bar dubbed the “Bog Hotel” attracted a judge’s sympathy yesterday when he admitted stealing newspapers and a magazine.
Defence solicitor Paudge Dorrian said Patsy Brogan was going through “a stressful period” at the time in November 2009.
The solicitor told Judge Kevin Kilrane at Donegal District Court that he might remember an earlier appearance by Mr Brogan when Donegal County council was prosecuting him for breach of planning laws at his home where he had a private bar known as the Bog Hotel.
Mr Dorrian said each and every paper that carried stories of the case would have given Mr Brogan copies of their papers. “He doesn’t know why he did this. It was such a stupid thing”, Mr Dorrian added.
Patsy Brogan, of Tullylough, Frosses, admitted stealing the papers and magazine at Conway’s newsagents in Donegal town on November 6th, 2009.
Judge Kilrane said: “No more than ourselves he is not getting any younger. I can only accept the other matter was playing on his mind.”
He told Mr Brogan to donate €100 to the Special Olympics by January 5th and he would then apply the Probation Act.