Teenagers charged with damaging tree

Two teenagers have been charged with criminal damage after the Christmas Tree in Moira was vandalised at the end of last year.

The local community were devastated when the village tree was damaged just ten days before Christmas on December 15.

This week two local teenagers were charged with criminal damage, however the police are considering a diversionary sentence rather than a court imposed sentence.

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Levi Bruce, 18, from Castlevue in Moira and Carlo Tortolani, 19, from Earlsfort in Moira, were both charged with destroying the Christmas tree and decorations in the village on December 15, 2013.

The tree had been erected by young people from the Logic Cafe in Moira and they group had said they were very disappointed that damage had been caused to the tree,

Speaking following the incident last December, Matt Peach, manager of the Logic Cafe in Moira, said: “The young people of Moira from Logic help run the event every year. Over the past three years we have spent over £1,500 gathering decorations and lights for the tree.”

Mr Peach said the whole community was involved in the Christmas celebrations in the village and there had been great disappointment.

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“The damage to the tree and decorations is well over the £1,000 mark,not to mention the time and money the council have spent repairing the damage and replacing some of the lights.” District Judge Amanda Brady adjourned the case until September 1 to allow police and the Public Prosecution Service time to consider whether a diversionary sentence should be imposed.