A Ballina man who ripped a garda’s fleece and set fire to a mattress in the garda station cell was before Ballina District Court on Tuesday.
On February 6 2011 at 2.20am gardaí observed a male urinating in a doorway on O’Rahilly Street, Ballina. As gardaí approached this man, Brian Moran, 11 Tom Clarke Place, Ballina intervened and told gardai to “f**k off and mind your own business”. Moran then came face to face with Garda Conor Drury and told him to “f**k off you scumbag”.
Half an hour later the defendant showed up at Ballina Garda Station as he was making enquiries about a man who had been arrested. Garda Drury tried to arrest Moran, however he violently resisted and pinned Garda Drury against a wall and ripped the garda’s fleece on the left side.
Later, the defendant was observed sitting in the cell with his T-shirt over his face and he had tried to set fire to the cell mattress with a lighter which he had concealed on him.
Compensation has since been paid for damage caused to the mattress and fleece.
Denis Molloy, solicitor for Moran, said that on the night in question Moran attended his nephew’s 21st and drank for the first time in six months. Moran has previous convictions.
Judge Mary Devins remanded Moran on continuing bail to April 10 2012. The judge gave the State liberty to re-enter.
