A 45-year-old Knock man who bit a garda’s finger and who caused criminal damage to the public office door in a Garda station was sentenced to eight months in prison at Ballyhaunis District Court on Tuesday for the assault, criminal damage, and public order charges.
Inspector Barry Foley outlined to the court that on June 18 2009 gardaí were called to a single vehicle road traffic accident in Knock. There was no driver at the scene, however gardaí were advised that the driver, Thomas Finn, Drum, Knock, lived nearby. Gardaí called to his residence where he spoke with the gardaí at the door. As the gardaí left, Finn followed them onto the public road where he said: “F**k off you wanker”, “It’s not my fault that your fathers raped ye”, and, “You are not arresting me ya c**t”.
The defendant was arrested for being threatening and abusive, however a struggle ensued with gardaí as Finn pushed one of them. While in the back of the garda car, Finn bit the finger of one of the gardaí in the front of the car, which resulted in blood being drawn.
After being released from the Garda station, the defendant refused to leave and was then observed on CCTV at the station to strike his foot through the closed public hatch door, which caused €340.20 worth of damage.
The court heard that the defendant at the time of these offences may have been under the influence of alcohol and drugs, addictions to which he has a long history.
The unemployed father of seven, who has previous convictions, was convicted and fined €500 by Judge Mary Devins for the assault on the garda and was sentenced to four months in prison. For the criminal damage to the door he was convicted and fined €500 and sentenced to prison for two months to run consecutively. For the public order charge he was convicted and fined €250 and sentenced to two months in prison to run consecutively. A separate public order charge was taken into consideration.
