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.

Father-of-three Nathan Coughlan also admitted breaking into and robbing churches during a crime spree over a five-year period.

Coughlan, who has 197 previous convictions and is already in prison custody, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court, where he pleaded guilty to a raft of charges.

Today, Judge John Aylmer jailed the 28-year-old for a total of three years and eight months but suspended the last 14 months of the sentence to encourage his rehabilitation.

Some of the sentences handed down were consecutive to each other, as Coughlan had committed some offences while out on bail for making a bogus call to the emergency services.

Judge Aylmer allowed him a reduction in sentence for the initial headline sentences because of mitigation, telling the court that Coughlan had entered a guilty plea to all charges and that he was now using his time well while in prison.

He added that Coughlan is turning his mind towards rehabilitation and his addiction to cocaine and that it does appear that he is anxious to deal with that addiction despite not being able to start treatment for addiction just yet while in prison.

The charges related to ten different incidents, all of which were carried out while Coughlan was either drunk or on drugs. The accused, who is originally from Ennis in Co Clare, has been in custody at Castlerea Prison since last October.

Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle and state prosecutor Fiona Crawford outlined the litany of charges and details of the incidents.

In total, the accused was charged with making three separate bogus calls to the emergency services, as well as breaking into four different church buildings on various dates.

Coughlan pleaded guilty to making a false report at Single Street, Finner, Bundoran on 11 November 2019, that a person was on a cliff in horrendous weather conditions which sparked a major rescue alert involving the coastguard, RNLI, fire service, gardaí and ambulance service.

A recording of the bogus call identified Coughlan as the culprit by Garda Mark Geraghty, and the accused admitted buying a cheap Nokia phone, using it and then throwing it into the sea.

Coughlan admitted making two more bogus calls saying a body was floating in the sea at Bundoran on 21 February 2021 and 2 April 2021.

Again, the emergency services were launched including the Rescue 118 helicopter while the cost of just the fire service attending was €1,000, the court was told.

Coughlan was again identified and when interviewed by gardaí, the accused said he felt ashamed and wanted to get help for what he had done while admitting he was drunk at the time.

Break-ins

Doyle, along with state barrister, Ms Fiona Crawford, also outlined a number of break-ins and robberies to churches.

He admitted entering the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Bundoran on 7 March 2021 and attempting to steal from four donation boxes after smashing a lock on the church to gain entry.

On 2 October 2022, Coughlan admitted breaking into the Sacred Heart Church on Station Road in Mountcharles and causing €630 in criminal damage and stealing €30 from donation boxes.

Coughlan caused criminal damage to a house belonging to Fr Patrick Dunne at Church Street in Ballyshannon on 8 September 2024, when he ripped beading from a window but was spotted by a local woman.

He fled the scene but was caught on CCTV and admitted carrying out the criminal damage.

The accused also 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.

Damage was also caused to a key lock as well as two candelabras, while Coughlan also entered the sacristy of the church and removed the CCTV system valued at €500.

When interviewed, Coughlan said it was him, but he couldn’t really tell as he was “off his face” on ecstasy and cocaine.

He also pleaded guilty to a number of other burglaries including stealing tools from a house in Kinlough, Co Leitrim and €240 in cash from a cash register at Kernan’s Spar at Moorefield in Ramelton on 1 October 2024.

He also admitted breaking into Bundoran Adventure Park on 6 March 2021 and stealing €1,100 of power tools and causing €400 of damage to windows while he was drunk.

Doyle said all injured parties had been canvassed, but none had made victim impact statements.

Man is now drug-free

Coughlan’s solicitor, Mr Peter Nolan, BL, instructed by solicitor Rory O’Brien, said he has had a long relationship with Coughlan and that he was resolute at all times about pleading guilty.

He said his latest probation is not encouraging and places him at a very high risk of reoffending, but that he has been in custody, is now drug-free and is an enhanced prisoner.

He gave a background to the accused man’s life, stating that he left school at fifteen and has had no meaningful employment in his life.

Nolan admitted’s Coughlan’s previous convictions are extensive, and the probation report did not show any green shoots but suggested 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 everyone he had hurt and admitted that he put himself on a “self-destruct mode.”

Although he has not seen his three children for a number of months, Coughlan was adamant that if he stays off the drugs, he has a chance of getting back with his partner and seeing his kids once more.

Asked by 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.”

He added: “I’m sorry for what I did, although I never physically hurt anyone, I know the psychological effect it can have. I know it can be mentally and financially damaging, and I’m sorry for doing that.

“I had an addiction and my head was just fried. The last thirteen years of my life was getting intolerable, and it had to come to an end.”

Having sentenced Coughlan to an overall period of two and a half years in prison, Judge Aylmer backdated the sentence to when he went into custody on 9 October last year.

He also ordered Coughlan to go under the supervision and direction of the Probation Service, including the completion of any residential treatment programme recommended.