A member of the Navy was before Ballina District Court this week where he pleaded guilty to assaulting a garda, being threatening and abusive, and being intoxicated in a public place.
During a free open air concert during the Ballina Salmon Festival on July 13 2012, gardaí were on duty on Abbey Street at 11.30pm where they observed Karl O’Hora, The Quay View House, Ballina, dancing and jumping around with two beer bottles in his hand. Security at the concert only allowed plastic cups and glass bottles were not allowed. Gardaí spoke with him and the intoxicated man was aggressive towards them. The bottles were seized from O’Hora. He said to gardaí: “Do you know who I am?” and added “ye guards are useless”. O’Hora was directed to leave the area. The defendant and two women left the area, however he was observed again at 11.40pm with another bottle of beer in his hand. O’Hora laughed and gestured towards gardaí. Garda John Barrett observed the defendant pull at steel barriers and went over to O’Hora to bring him to the back of the crowd to speak to him about his behaviour. A female who was with O’Hora was abusive towards Garda Barrett. O’Hora said to the garda “I’m one of ye...I’m in the Irish f****ng Navy” and produced his Navy ID. He said: “Ye Garda scum, I’m in the Navy, I earn more money than ye useless f*****s.” Extra Garda assistance was required as O’Hora resisted arrest.
As Garda Barrett held on to O’Hora and tried to handcuff him O’Hora dropped down without warning and Garda Barrett flew out over him and hit the pavement. Garda Barrett’s knee was injured in the fall. While the garda was on the ground O’Hora kicked the garda in the head. O’Hora was about to kick the garda a second time, however another garda intervened.
Garda Barrett received bone injury and bruising to his knee for which he attended physiotherapy and also suffered from headaches after the incident. He was out of work for up to 10 weeks.
Peter Loftus, solicitor for the defendant, said that O’Hora had been a member of the Navy since he was 18 and had never before been in trouble. Now 22, the defendant hopes to renew his contract with the Navy as his four and a half year contract had expired. Mr Loftus said that this was a very serious incident regarding O’Hora’s future career as the consequences of a conviction might lead to his contract not being renewed. O’Hora has written a letter of apology to Garda Barrett.
O’Hora told the court that the night of the incident was his first time home in months and he “went a bit crazy on drink”.
Judge Mary Devins asked O’Hora how he would feel if he was attacked while wearing his Navy uniform; “I wouldn’t like it at all,” was his reply.
Judge Devins adjourned the case to January 22 for a probation report.
