A man who threatened to get a woman during a street brawl over a mobile phone was fined €300 at Galway District Court this week.
Zbigniew Szlezak (29 ) with an address at 5 Oran Hill Avenue, Oranmore, appeared before Judge Mary Fahy and pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place, threatening and abusive behaviour, and failing to obey Garda orders.
Inspector Sean Glynn told the court that on November 15, 2008, at 1.20am at Main Street, Oranmore, gardai found a number of people, including the defendant, arguing. He said that the defendant was heard repeatedly saying to a particular woman that he “will f**king get” her. Inspector Glynn said that the defendant was very abusive, extremely intoxicated, and when directed to desist and leave the area he failed to do so. The defendant, who has no previous convictions, also failed to turn up to court on November 24 and was therefore arrested on foot of a bench warrant.
Through his interpreter the defendant, who is a Polish national, told Judge Fahy that he was very sorry. The investigating garda also told the judge that the defendant had called to the station the following day after the offence and that it had been explained that someone had taken his phone and wouldn’t give it back. He added that gardai would not have been fully aware of this at the time of his arrest.
Judge Fahy struck out the failure to obey garda orders and fined the defendant a total of €300 with three months to pay.
