Friday 30 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 13528Burglary, theft and false reports to emergency services · Co. Donegal

Man jailed for hoax emergency calls and church burglaries in Donegal

Nathan Coughlan, a 28-year-old man, was charged over ten incidents in Donegal and Leitrim between 2019 and 2024, including bogus calls to emergency services about bodies in the sea and burglaries of churches, carried out while he was drunk or on drugs. The incidents included criminal damage to a house belonging to Fr Paddy Dunne, also given as Fr Patrick Dunne, in Ballyshannon in September 2024. He pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Court and was remanded in custody for sentence on 4 June 2025. Judge John Aylmer later sentenced him to three years and eight months, with the last 14 months suspended, and ordered him to enter the supervision of the Probation Service.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted25 May
  6. Sentenced5 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The charges relate to ten incidents carried out while Coughlan was drunk or on drugs.
  • Coughlan made bogus calls about bodies floating in the sea at Bundoran on 21 February and 2 April 2021, and about a person on a cliff at Finner, Bundoran, on 11 November 2019, the latter sparking a major rescue operation.
  • On 7 March 2021 Coughlan smashed a lock to enter the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in Bundoran and attempted to steal from four donation boxes.
  • On 2 October 2022 Coughlan broke into the Sacred Heart Church in Mountcharles, causing €630 in criminal damage and stealing €30 from donation boxes.
  • On 3 October 2024 Coughlan broke into St Claire's Church in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, causing €2,700 damage to stained glass windows and removing a CCTV system valued at €500 from the sacristy.
  • On 8 September 2024 Coughlan caused criminal damage to a house in Ballyshannon belonging to Fr Paddy Dunne, also given as Fr Patrick Dunne.
  • On 6 March 2021, while drunk, Coughlan broke into Bundoran Adventure Park, stealing €1,100 of power tools and causing €400 damage to windows.
  • Coughlan pleaded guilty to other burglaries, including stealing tools from a house in Kinlough, Co Leitrim, and €240 in cash from Kernan's Spar at Moorefield, Ramelton, on 1 October 2024.
Other details
  • The 2019 false report involved the Coast Guard, RNLI, fire service, gardaí and ambulance service, and the fire service attendance cost €1,000.
  • Garda Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court that all injured parties were canvassed but none made victim impact statements.
  • Coughlan, from Ennis in Co Clare, has 197 previous convictions and has been in custody at Castlerea Prison since last October.
Investigation
A recording of the bogus call identified Coughlan, according to Garda Mark Geraghty, and CCTV caught him at the Ballyshannon house, where he admitted the criminal damage.
Charges
Coughlan was charged with three bogus calls to the emergency services and with breaking into four church buildings.
In court
Coughlan pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Court to a number of charges and was remanded in custody for final sentence on 4 June.
Sentence
Judge John Aylmer sentenced Coughlan to three years and eight months with the last 14 months suspended, which RTÉ reported as a jail term of two and a half years, and ordered him to enter the supervision of the Probation Service.
38 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe charges relate to ten different incidents carried out while Coughlan was drunk or on drugs. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatCoughlan smashed a lock to enter the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, and attempted to steal from four donation boxes. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatAt St Claire's Church, Coughlan entered the sacristy and removed a CCTV system valued at €500. (donegallive.ie)
  • whatCoughlan made bogus calls to emergency services about bodies floating in the sea off Co Donegal. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe 2019 false report sparked a major rescue operation involving the Coast Guard, RNLI, fire service, gardaí and ambulance service. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan admitted entering the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Bundoran on 7 March 2021 by smashing a lock and attempting to steal from four donation boxes. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan broke into the Sacred Heart Church in Mountcharles on 2 October 2022, causing €630 in criminal damage and stealing €30 from donation boxes. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan caused criminal damage to a house belonging to Fr Patrick Dunne in Ballyshannon on 8 September 2024. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan 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. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan removed a CCTV system valued at €500 from the sacristy of St Claire's Church. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan pleaded guilty to other burglaries, including stealing tools from a house in Kinlough, Co Leitrim. (rte.ie)
  • whatCoughlan broke into Bundoran Adventure Park on 6 March 2021, stealing €1,100 of power tools and causing €400 of damage to windows while drunk. (rte.ie)
  • whenA bogus call reporting a person on a cliff was made at Single Street, Finner, Bundoran, on November 11, 2019. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan admitted two bogus calls saying a body was floating in the sea at Bundoran, on February 21, 2021 and April 2, 2021. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan admitted entering the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Bundoran, on March 7, 2021. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenOn October 2, 2022, Coughlan broke into the Sacred Heart Church at Mountcharles, causing €630 in criminal damage and stealing €30 from donation boxes. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan caused criminal damage to a house belonging to Fr Paddy Dunne in Ballyshannon on September 8, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan caused €2,700 of damage to stained glass windows when he broke into St Claire's Church in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, on October 3, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan pleaded guilty to stealing tools from a house in Kinlough, Co Leitrim, and €240 in cash from Kernan's Spar at Moorefield, Ramelton, on October 1, 2024. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan broke into Bundoran Adventure Park on March 6, 2021, stealing €1,100 of power tools and causing €400 of damage to windows. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenCoughlan pleaded guilty to a false report at Single Street, Finner, Bundoran, on 11 November 2019. (rte.ie)
  • whenCoughlan admitted two more bogus calls reporting a body floating in the sea at Bundoran on 21 February 2021 and 2 April 2021. (rte.ie)
  • causeThe charges related to ten incidents carried out while Coughlan was drunk or on drugs. (rte.ie)
  • investigationA recording of the bogus call identified Coughlan, according to Garda Mark Geraghty. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationCoughlan was caught on CCTV and admitted the criminal damage at the Ballyshannon house. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationA recording of the call identified Coughlan as the culprit. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGarda Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court that all injured parties had been canvassed but none had made victim impact statements. (rte.ie)
  • chargeCoughlan was charged with three bogus calls to the emergency services and breaking into four church buildings. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtCoughlan pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Court to a raft of charges. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtJudge John Aylmer remanded Coughlan in custody for final sentence on June 4. (donegallive.ie)
  • courtCoughlan appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to a number of charges. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceJudge John Aylmer sentenced Coughlan to a total of three years and eight months in prison, suspending the last 14 months. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceCoughlan was ordered to enter the supervision and direction of the Probation Service. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe fire service attending the bogus call cost €1,000. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherNo victim impact statements were made, although all injured parties were canvassed. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherCoughlan has been in custody at Castlerea Prison since last October. (donegallive.ie, rte.ie)
  • otherCoughlan is originally from Ennis in Co Clare and has 197 previous convictions. (rte.ie)
  • otherCoughlan said he bought a cheap Nokia phone, used it and threw it into the sea. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Jun2025
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Jail term for man who made hoax emergency calls

    Sentencing at Letterkenny Circuit Court for hoax calls and burglaries from 2019 to 2024, with a three-year-eight-month sentence. This differs from existing case 5165, which reports a one-year sentence for church burglaries and thefts, so it is treated as a separate case.

    convicted, Nathan Coughlan, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan Coughlanvictim, Fr Patrick Dunne, irish (judged from name)Fr Patrick Dunne
  2. 25 May2025
    Convicteddonegallive.ie, follow-up
    Man who made bogus RNLI calls in Bundoran and burgled Churches to be sentenced

    Reports the guilty plea hearing at Letterkenny Circuit Court, lists the ten incidents covered by the charges, and states that sentencing is set for June 4.

    convicted, Nathan Coughlan, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Nathan Coughlanvictim, Fr Paddy Dunne, irish (judged from name)Fr Paddy Dunne