A Kildare council worker who repeatedly poured raw sewage into a co-worker's coffee over a two-month period has received an 8-month jail sentence.
65-year-old Joseph Byrne from Castleroe, Maganey in Co. Kildare pleaded guilty to the dangerous offence which occurred while he was working at a wastewater treatment plant in the county.
It was alleged that Mr Byrne commenced the lewd act after the co-worker in question had been assigned to a position which reduced the defendant's overtime hours.
A Garda witness had told an earlier sitting of Athy District Court that the victim was "just going about his normal day" in the workplace canteen when Mr Byrne would allegedly screw the lid off the victim's coffee cup and pour in the toxic substance.
The Kildare Nationalist reports that Mr Byrne had pleaded guilty to six breaches of Section 12 of Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
The victim is understood to have developed serious intestinal issues since the 'spiking' at the hands of Mr Byrne.
On delivering a verdict in Naas Circuit Court earlier this week, Justice Dara Hynes sentenced Mr Byrne to 20 months in prison with the last twelve suspended.
