A Castlebar man who breached the peace by being verbally abusive to his son, was told by Judge Mary Devins that he was nothing but an “unpleasant little bully”, at Castlebar District Court this week.
Following a complaint to gardaí, Garda Paula Cohen attended the house of Patrick Ward, 2 Gortnafola, Castlebar, on November 12 last year.
Ward was in an irate manner due to large alcohol consumption following a boxing tournament in Ballina where his children were taking part.
In the presence of Garda Cohen and members of the defendant’s family he told his son that he would “kill him”; “that he was useless” and “that he shamed his family” at the tournament. According to the garda the defendant’s son was aged somewhere between 14 and 16 years. The garda tried to remove Ward peacefully from the house, however he was non co-operative.
Defence solicitor Aidan Crowley said that the threats made towards the defendants’ son were not viewed in a serious light, but were comments made after Ward’s excess alcohol consumption.
Ward, who had also failed to appear before the court at a previous sitting, was asked by Judge Devins if he had anything to say as regards the way he spoke to his son that day to which he replied “not much, no”.
The judge said to the man, who has previous convictions, that he does not “deserve to have those lovely children” before she convicted and fined him €300 for breaching the peace. For failing to appear in court, the judge convicted and fined Ward €500 and sentenced him to 28 days in prison. Recognisances were fixed.
