A man who rammed a Garda patrol car while drunk had his case but back to May in the District Court this week (February 17 ) to allow him establish his insurance bona fides for the court and come up with over €7,000 in compensation before a sentence is passed.
The court heard how Gardai had been operating a checkpoint at Brownscurragh, Kilbeggan, between the village and the motorway on April 27 when a car being driven by Mark Cole (27 ), Ivy Wood, Kilbeggan failed to stop.
When the gardai pursued his vehicle, Cole spun about and rammed the squad car causing €7,346 worth of damage.
Through his solicitor, Ms Yvonne Hennessey, Cole pleaded guilty to all three charges before him - criminal damage, careless driving and drink driving.
Judge John Neilan queried whether Cole was insured at the time, and Ms Hennessey assured him her client was.
However, as Cole had been driving a company car at the time and was unemployed since the incident, Ms Hennessey told the court there was some difficulty in getting the appropriate documentation because of this “soured relationship”.
Judge Neilan enquired whether the defendant had anything in the way of compensation for the Garda Siochana but was told on account of his straitened circumstances Cole only had €500 in court.
“He was made unemployed since [the incident],” said Ms Hennessey.
“I don’t know what his connection with the vehicle was,” said Judge Neilan.
Ms Hennessey assured the judge her client would be able to prove his insurance status on that day in question within a short period, but would need another number of months to come up with the compensation.
Judge Neilan accepted this and put back a decision on Cole’s future until May 26.
