A twenty-five-year-old man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a number of gardaí and a hospital security guard was jailed for three months at Kilkenny District Court this week.
Scott Ryan with an address at 3 Brookview Avenue, Hollybrook, Ferrybank admitted two charges of assault at John’s Bridge, four separate assaults at Kilkenny Garda Station and to one charge of assault in the A&E Department at St Luke’s Hospital on December 1, 2007.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at John’s Bridge that night.
Inspector Aidan Brennan told the court that the gardai and an ambulance crew arrived at John’s Bridge where the crew attempted to attend to the defendant.
The court heard that the gardai then arrested the defendant who was very intoxicated and abusive. And as he was being placed in the patrol car, he bit Garda Lisa Mullins on the leg.
He was conveyed to Kilkenny Garda Station but was then taken to St Luke’s Hospital after complaining of an injury to his wrist. Upon arriving at the hospital Ryan demanded to be seen immediately despite the fact that there was a large number of people already waiting. After refusing to sit down he was restrained by a security guard who he hit in the chest. Ryan was then brought to Kilkenny Garda Station for a second time that night.
When the gardai were processing the prisoner they tried to search him but he refused, claiming that he had been assaulted. He then struck out at two gardai, Garda Sean Duggan who was hit in the face which caused one of his teeth to loosen, and Garda James Leech who was struck in the chest.
Hi solicitor Michael Lanigan said that his client had a lot of personal difficulties and had made considerable progress having recently completed a certificate in business at Carlow IT. “He has told to me that he drank a lot that night and was so intoxicated that he thinks his drink was spiked,” he said.
“My client was in care between the ages of 11 and 17 and has experienced periods of homelessness. He has been offered a lot of help but it hasn’t been sustained. He can be impulsive and often acts without thinking,” he added. Mr Lanigan also asked the court to take into consideration the progress his client had made and he ‘apologised to all concerned’ on his behalf.
Judge William Harnett said he ‘took a very serious view when gardai are assaulted’ before sentencing him to three months in prison and ordering him to enter a probation bond for 18 months during which time alcohol abuse and anger management are to be queried.
