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A 61-year-old man who released two rats at his workplace because of an alleged grievance with a manager has been sentenced to six months in prison.

John O'Neill, from Glanduff, County Cork pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage by releasing rats at Cork County Council's offices in February.

He was captured on CCTV entering the building with an item covered by his jacket, leaving shortly afterwards.

When staff came to work the next day the offices were covered in excrement.

Pest control officers were called in and identified the source.

Garda Sgt Paul Kelly told Bandon District Court that over the course of a few days the offices were "destroyed in excrement".

The cleaning process, in addition to the damage caused, cost about €3,000 (£2,530).

Management reported their suspicions that the rat infestation was deliberate in March.

Mr O'Neill, who had been employed by the council for 23 years, was subsequently arrested and made "full and frank admissions", Sgt Kelly said.

He had no previous convictions.

His solicitor said Mr O'Neill had brought €3,000 to court in compensation for his actions.

The maximum sentence in the case was €2,500 or 12 months in prison.

However, Judge McNulty said that there were plenty of ways of dealing with feelings of stress that did not involve releasing rats into an office.

"This required forethought and was a deliberate act," the judge said.

"He needed to catch and find rats, he needed to release them."

Sentencing Mr O'Neill, the judge said his behaviour had been "uniquely wicked" and "committed with malice".