An intoxicated Claremorris man who walked into a Supermacs restaurant in the town and made a beeline for two members of An Garda Siochana and proceeded to tell one of the “You took my life, now it’s pay back, I’ll take yours” was found guilty of two breaches of the public order act in Castlebar District Court this week.
Garda Liam Coyne told the court that on February 30 2013, at 9.30pm he and a colleague were on duty in Claremorris town and had stopped into Supermacs restaurant to pick up something to eat. Eamon Gill with an address at 1 Barr na hAille, Claremorris came into the restaurant and walked over to the two Gardaí and became aggressive and abusive towards Garda Coyne in particular. Garda Coyne told the court that Gill came over to him with his fists clenched said to him: “You took my life, now it’s pay back, I’ll take yours”.
Garda Coyne directed him to leave the area under the public order act but Coyne failed to do so and Gill then told him: “I’ll get you and your family, I’ll put you six feet under”. He then arrested him and brought him back to Claremorris Garda Station and he continued to be abusive on the way there.
Taking the witness box, Gill told the court that he was being harassed by Garda Gill and he had threatened him at a roadside checkpoint before and told him: “I’ll get you again Mr Gill” an accusation denied by Garda Coyne. Supt Joe Doherty put it to Gill that Garda Coyne had never brought charges against him to court before this week and in fact had never arrested Gill before. Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined Gill €100 for threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place and took a charge of intoxication in a public place into consideration.
Gill was also in court to face sentencing for a case from May this year where he was found guilty of slashing the tyres on his brother’s jeep following a dispute between himself and his brother. Judge Devins convicted and fined him €100 for this offence. Supt Joe Doherty alerted the court that another prosecution coming out of the incidents surrounding Gill slashing his brothers tyres may be forthcoming in the coming weeks if the DPP directs so.
