Paul Keating (32) and Shane Greenhalgh (19) said they did not realise the impact of their actions

Three “bored” milkmen who were egging houses on their milk round for nearly three months were caught after gardai set up a special operation to find the culprits.

Paul Keating (32) and Eric Flynn (19) were surrounded by open cartons of eggs when gardai stopped them in the early hours of one morning.

Shane Greenhalgh (19) was not with them at the time, but he later came forward and admitted his part in the eggings.

The men targeted one house in particular and did not realise the impact their behaviour was having on the retired lady living there, who was in considerable fear, a court heard.

They have since paid more than €2,000 for the damage they caused, mostly to cars parked outside the houses.

Judge David McHugh ordered the three men to complete 100 hours of community service, in lieu of two months in prison.

The men admitted before Blanchardstown District Court to criminal damage to vehicles at Weavers Row and Lambourn Road in Clonsilla, on dates between October 2 and November 19, 2016.

A number of other criminal damage charges were struck out.

Garda Alexander McDermott-Roe said that between September and late November 2016, a number of houses in the Clonsilla area had been egged in the early hours of the morning.

Gardai set up an operation to detect the culprits, he said.

The garda said he stopped a vehicle delivering milk and dairy products on Clonsilla Road at 3.30am on December 1 last year.

Gda McDermott-Roe said Keating – who was the driver – and Flynn were surrounded by open cartons of eggs, and admitted they had been throwing eggs at houses.

Greenhalgh was not with them but he later came forward and admitted to his part.

The court heard the men targeted one particular house and the owner, a retired lady, was initially in considerable fear. She was relieved once the egging stopped.

The court heard that Keating, of Castleknock Elms in Castleknock; Greenhalgh, of Mary Brennan Park; and Flynn, of St Patrick’s Park, both in Blanchardstown, had never been in trouble before.

Solicitor Mark Quinn said the men had no explanation for their behaviour, other than it was “pure stupidity” and done “out of boredom”.

Mr Quinn said the men were “having a laugh” and there was no particular reason why they targeted the retired lady’s house, other than it was on their main route.

He said they did not realise the impact of their behaviour.

Mr Quinn said Keating, a separated man with two young children, “should have known better”. He and Flynn are still working on the milk round.

He said Greenhalgh works as a sale assistant and hopes to join the Army.

He also said the men’s employer was “less than impressed” with their behaviour, and they had apologised to the victims.

Herald