A criminal damage attack on a car which began with a flower pot being thrown on the bonnet caused €1,400 worth of damage, the Galway District Court heard this week.
The man found responsible for throwing the flower pot and in so doing instigating the attack was ordered to pay €700 in compensation when he appears in court again in less than a month’s time.
Twenty-year-old Luke Feeney with an address at 47 Hazelpark, Newcastle, pleaded guilty last Monday to the criminal damage of the bonnet of a car, property of Brendan Mulhaire, at 29 Lower Newcastle Road on December 17, 2008.
Inspector Pat McHugh told the court that at 3.30am a group of males were seen damaging the car. The injured party phoned gardai stating that one of the men had thrown a flower pot onto the bonnet of the car. Inspector McHugh said that in total €1,400 worth of damage had been caused. He said Feeney had started the incident by throwing the pot. Feeney later came into the Garda station and admitted his involvement.
Feeney, who had no legal representation, told the court he wished to apologise to gardai for wasting their time and to the man who owned the car. “I was very drunk and it was a stupid thing to do,” he said.
“This is normally the behaviour I see from juveniles, not from a man of your age. It caused €1,400 in damage, apologies are no good for this man [the injured party],” replied Judge Mary Fahy.
The defendant, who works at weekends while going to college in NUIG, then said that he only had €700 to offer as compensation.
Inspector McHugh then suggested that Feeney may not have to pay the full amount as a co-defendant is yet to be dealt with. He added that Feeney had been very forthright with gardai and has no previous convictions.
Judge Fahy then remanded Feeney on his own bail of €300 to appear again on April 20 with €700 compensation.
Co-defendant John Frizzell (22 ) with an address at 26 St James Crescent, Mervue, is facing charges of being intoxicated in a public place, the criminal damage of a car at 29 Lower Newcastle, and the possession of a knuckle duster at Galway Garda Station. His case was also adjourned to the same date.
