Galway City Tribune – A woman claimed she left her five children in Romania to come to work in Ireland, but was instead found begging in Galway a week after she arrived in the country.

Sonia Ispir (40), of no fixed abode, and Dublin 1, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court to obstructing the passage of pedestrians while begging at Quay Street on December 4.

Defence barrister, Garry MacDonald, said the woman had five children who were in Romania and she had been brought over to Ireland by others to work.

Judge Mary Fahy said the woman was down from Dublin and was part of a group, some of whom were in court watching proceedings.

A man with some gold teeth stood beside the woman during the brief hearing.

Mr MacDonald said his client was “very low down on the ladder”, and was being used and told what to do by others.

“The group is so big, no one knows where anyone is ‘on the ladder’. It’s an ongoing racket, we all know that,” Judge Fahy replied.

The barrister said the woman had a ticket to return to Romania and would undertake to stay away from Galway in the meantime.

“She seems to be the victim here,” he added.

Judge Fahy said the minimum requirement was for the woman to provide an address but Mr MacDonald said she had no fixed abode.

Judge Fahy sentenced the woman to one month in prison, which she suspended for 12 months on condition she be of good behaviour and not reoffend, and stay away from Galway City and country for the next 12 months.

Reading a statement of means, handed into court, for the purposes of obtaining free legal aid, Judge Fahy said that “these forms are fictitious.

“She says she is supporting five children.  What is she supporting them on if they are in Romania and she is here begging?

“She is not supporting them. Isn’t that the truth?”

The judge warned the woman that if she re-offended, she would be brought back before the court and the suspended sentence would be activated. She then granted free legal aid.

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Galway City Tribune – Galway burglars are twice as likely to escape jail than their counterparts in Dublin where three-quarters of those caught get sent behind bars.

For the first seven months of last year, the imprisonment rate for burglary cases dealt with by the 74 district courts varied between 39% in Galway and 74% in Dublin, which has the toughest sentencing regime in the country.

The overall average imprisonment rate for burglary offences was 65%, down from 70% in 2016. The figures were released to the Irish Times under a Freedom of Information request.

In Dublin, the imprisonment rate has increased by more than 10% in the past two years. Its lowest rate in the last seven years was under 60% in 2011.

Former Galway City Mayor Frank Fahy said Galway should be following the trend in Dublin, not going against it.

“A lot of our burglaries are committed to feed a heroin addiction and a lot of these heroin addicts have been run out of Dublin. I hope we’re not perceived as a soft touch. I’d seriously question why our jailing rates are half those in Dublin. I think it’s an issue that needs to be investigated by the Minister and the judiciary,” the Fine Gael Councillor stated.

“There should be jail for anyone breaking into a house – particularly if it’s not the first offence – and there should be other punitive measures such as docking their social welfare payments.

“The judiciary have to step up in Galway and ensure these people go to jail – and if not going to jail depending on seriousness of the crime and the previous convictions, they should be forced to make a serious contribution to the community.”
To read the rest of this article, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. Buy a digital edition of this week’s paper here, or download the app for Android or iPhone.

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Two students were assaulted by a group of up to ten people as they walked away from Supermac’s in Eyre Square late one night, a court has heard.

One of the victims, who is a final year student at Athlone IT, sustained a broken nose, and a fractured cheekbone and eye socket in the attack during which he was kicked and punched.

Evan Deacy (20), 58 Ard Alainn, Ballybane, and co-accused, Aidan Coyle (20), from 250 Castlepark, Ballybane, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ross O’Connor and his friend Jamie O’Roarke, causing them harm, on February 4, 2016, when they appeared before Galway District Court this week.

Mr O’Connor (25) told the court he had severe pain for a time afterwards and he would need to have surgery on his nose due to breathing difficulties as a result of the assault.

He said he had become very wary on nights out since the attack.  The other victim was not in court.

Garda Marvin Lee said he viewed CCTV footage from outside Supermac’s.

He saw the two injured parties walk away with three friends but they were then set upon by a group of about ten people.

Five of the group could be seen throwing punches and kicks and both Deacy and Coyle were later identified from the group and charged.

Garda Lee said CCTV showed Coyle throwing punches while Deacy threw punches and kicks. Both victims, he said, managed to get away and they went to A&E that night for treatment for their injuries.

Medical reports were handed into court which outlined O’Connor suffered fractures to his nose, cheekbone and eye socket, while O’Roarke suffered a suspected broken nose.  O’Connor also suffered bruising to his legs and torso.

Deacy, who is an apprentice carpenter, brought €2,000 compensation to court to offer to the victims.  His solicitor, Gearoid Geraghty, said that if given more time his client would come up with a further €3,000.  He asked for a probation report on his client prior to sentence taking place.

Judge Mary Fahy adjourned sentence in Deacy’s case to May 9 for the payment of a further €3,000 to the victims and she directed the preparation of a probation report for that date.

Barrister Garry McDonald, who represented Coyle, said his client had recently lost his job and he had no compensation to offer to the victims at this point, but he had applied for a bank loan and if given time would pay compensation as well.

Judge Fahy became annoyed on hearing Coyle had been working for two years before losing his job, but had brought no compensation to court.

She rejected an application by the barrister for a probation report and warned Coyle to come to court with his bags packed on May 9 if he didn’t have the first instalment of €2,000 compensation on that date for the victims.

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A ‘groom’ has received a suspended sentence for his role in a sham marriage which took place in Galway four years ago.

Galway District Court heard this week that an Estonian woman travelled to Ireland to marry the man, a Pakistani national, at a civil ceremony in Galway so he could obtain EU citizenship.

It is the first prosecution of its type to be brought in Galway.

Farrukh Farookui (36), 33 Foxborough Gardens, Lucan, Co. Dublin, claimed he and the woman were a couple who had been living together for some time when he signed a marriage declaration form at their civil marriage ceremony in Galway in April, 2013.

The sham marriage was discovered when Gardaí from the National Immigration Bureau examined marriage files at the Galway Civil Registration Office, as part of their ongoing nationwide investigation into illegal immigration and ‘marriages of convenience’, code-named “Operation Vantage”.

Detective Damien O’Neill said the pair had never lived together and, in fact, the woman had only flown to Ireland from Estonia to facilitate the civil marriage process.

Farookui was charged last week in Dublin with declaring information to the Registrar of Marriages, at the Civil Registration Office in Galway on April 16, 2013, that he knew to be false or misleading, contrary to Section 69(3) of the Civil Registration Act 2004.

He pleaded guilty in Galway this week, and Judge Mary Fahy sentenced him to five months in prison, suspended for two years.

Farookui also admitted handling a €1,400 laptop which had been stolen in a burglary and was found during a search of Farookui’s then-address.

A consecutive five-month sentence was imposed for the handling charge, also suspended for two years.

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A student who stole mobile phones from six girls’ handbags in nightclubs was sent back to Nigeria by his parents for a while so that he would come to appreciate the advantages he had been enjoying while growing up here in Ireland.

Moses Akanni (20), was living in Fearann Rí, Doughiska with his parents when he stole the mobile phones over a three-week period in April 2016 from six unsuspecting victims.

Garda Pat Foley carried out an investigation at the time following a series of mobile phone thefts from city nightclubs and it led him to Akanni’s home in Fearann Rí, which he searched under warrant in May 2016.

He found six phones in Akanni’s bedroom. Akanni was not present at the time but he later came to the Garda Station and made full admissions.

He said he had used distraction techniques to steal the phones from girls’ handbags.

The high-end phones were later returned to their owners.

Judge Mary Fahy commended Garda Foley for his successful investigation.

She said Akanni had shown no empathy for people his own age.

She said it was “nasty” as it targeted young women who needed their phones for security as much as for social reasons.

Defence solicitor, Sean Acton, said Akanni’s parents were Christian people who were shocked and disgusted when they heard what their son had done.

“He had been getting a college grant here at the time. They were shocked and disgusted and they sent him back home [to Nigeria] to make him realise what benefits and advantages he had in Ireland,” he said.

Mr Acton said Akanni had been studying computer and electronic engineering in GMIT at the time of the offence but the family had since moved to Dundalk and he was now studying in Dundalk IT.

Judge Fahy noted a bench warrant had to be issued for Akanni when he failed to show up in court last year. It had been executed a month ago and he was given bail to show up in court this week, which he did.

The judge said she wanted Akanni to pay €100 to each of the six victims for the inconvenience he had caused them at the time.

He grumbled about having to pay compensation, saying he was a full-time student and he could not get part-time work.

“I’m asking the court to adjourn it for two months to give him time to ‘divvy up’,” Mr Acton said.

“I’d like to see him divvy up too and I want him to bring €600 to court the next day,” Judge Fahy replied.

She adjourned finalisation of sentence to July 9 and directed Akanni be assessed in the meantime by the Probation Service for suitability to carry out community service in lieu of a prison sentence.

She asked Garda Foley to liaise with Gardaí in Dundalk and get a Garda behaviour report on Akanni for the court by July 9.

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A District Court judge has expressed concern over the growing number of third level students appearing before her court in recent weeks for drug dealing offences and she has issued a warning they can no longer expect to remain conviction-free, just because they are students.

“What is going on at the moment with students being charged with Section 15s (drug dealing offences)?

“Don’t they know they are going to ruin their lives?  The court cannot stand back and allow students – and I’m sure their parents know this – to continue like this.

“There cannot be ‘carte blanche’ for students to act in this manner.  They are educated and privileged.  They are the people getting the opportunities and there will be no more opportunities for them to remain conviction-free,” she warned.

Judge Fahy said the students who had appeared before the court last week and again this week, had not just been found in possession of small amounts of drugs but had been found with significant amounts that were for sale or supply to others.

“What is going on in this courtroom is just coming to a head now and it is totally unacceptable,” she warned this week.

Last week, Judge Fahy dealt with three NUIG students who had been charged with dealing drugs.  One of them got a six-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to having over €4,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply in 2016. He was also caught with €2,000 cash – the proceeds of his drug dealing business, which he admitted to Gardai was set up to fund his college lifestyle.

A chemistry student was caught with ecstasy, the veterinary drug Ketamine, cannabis and €575 cash.

Judge Fahy said he reminded her of the TV drugs series, Breaking Bad.

The third student to be dealt with last week was Jack McDonnell (23), with an address in Dun na Coiribe, who is a corporate law graduate and currently studying for his LLB.  The court heard he had signed for a package containing €1,936 worth of cannabis on May 16, 2016, knowing it contained the drug.

Customs officials alerted Gardai in Galway that a package containing cannabis had come through the postal system and both Gardai and Customs carried out a controlled delivery of the drugs to McDonnell’s address.

Gardai returned to the address moments later and found the drugs in McDonnell’s bedroom.

He pleaded guilty to having cannabis for sale or supply and to having the drug in his possession on the date in question.

His solicitor, Sean Acton, said another person had bought the drugs online and had asked his client to sign for the package.

Judge Fahy adjourned his case to last week’s court for him to provide proof of his current college status. The necessary proofs were handed into court last week.

Hearing McDonnell was averaging 67% in his exams, Judge Fahy adjourned finalisation of sentence to November and asked for a Garda behaviour report on him for that date.

Another student joined the ranks at last week’s court.

GMIT quantity surveyor student, Cian Gilvarry (20) pleaded guilty to two charges of having quantities of Ecstasy in his possession at Carbon night-club on October 28, 2016.

Security staff alerted Gardai when they discovered Gilvarry had five ecstasy tablets on him in the club that night.

He was arrested and taken back to the Garda station where a thorough search of his person revealed eight ‘deal’ bags containing a further €450 worth of the drug. Gardai carried out a follow-up search of his address at the time and found a number of other people at the property with drugs.  One of them was subsequently charged and will be appearing before the court in May.

Defence solicitor, John Martin said his client had moved in with people he didn’t know and got involved in their drugs lifestyle until he was detected.

He said his client had a promising future and was no longer involved in drugs.

Judge Fahy sentenced Gilvarry to five months in prison on the second charge and imposed a concurrent one-month sentence for the first.  She suspended both sentences for 12 months.  Leave to appeal was granted.

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A heroin addict has been given a suspended sentence for stealing money from a church poor box using the spoke of a bicycle wheel with sticky tape attached.

Kevin Goldbey (32), with an address at 28 Gaelcarrig Park, Newcastle, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court previously to having the spoke with sticky tape attached at one end with the intention it be used to commit theft at the Sacred Heart Church, Westside, on April 21 last year. He pleaded guilty also to stealing €11.50 from the church on the same date.

Sentence was adjourned to last week’s court to await the findings of a community service report assessment.

The court heard Goldbey was deemed to be an unsuitable candidate for community service due to his ongoing addiction issues.

Defence solicitor, Colin Lynch said his client was no longer taking heroin and had been on methadone before relapsing for a time around Christmas. He said Goldbey had paid some compensation in November for the theft of a poor box.

Judge Mary Fahy sentenced Goldbey to five months in prison for having the spoke to commit theft and she imposed a concurrent one-month sentence for the theft of cash from the church. She suspended both sentences for twelve months.

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A doctor tried in vain to shield her little dog as two German Shepherds tore it to pieces, a court heard this week.

Dr Caroline Noone told Galway District Court she came out her front door to see her neighbour’s German Shepherds tearing her little dog, Archie, between them.  “They each had one end in their mouths,” she said.

Her neighbour, trainee nurse, Lucia Fahy (31), from Gortnahoe, Ballindooley, Castlegar, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court last month to two separate charges of allowing the dogs to be in a place other than a specified area, while unaccompanied and while not being under proper control on October 13, 2016, contrary to Sections 9 and 27 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986.

The case was adjourned to this week for Dr. Noone to address the court if she so wished.

The doctor told Judge Mary Fahy that at 7.30pm on the evening in question she was at home and on the phone speaking to a patient.

Archie, her five-year-old Yorkshire terrier/Jack Russell cross was on her lap.  The door was ajar and he jumped down and went outside.

As a background, she said there had been an incident nine months earlier when one of the dogs bit her dog on the tummy and the Fahy family were aware of that.

Dr. Noone said on this particular evening she heard high-pitched screeches and she went outside.

“The two dogs were tearing my dog apart.  They each had one end in their mouths.  I threw stones, screamed and threw a bucket of water but there was absolutely no getting them away,” she said.

Dr. Noone said she attempted to shield her dog from the dogs by lying across him, but the German Shepherds “’were very intent on what they were doing’ and kept biting at her hands and she received injuries in the process.  She was dragged along the gravel and sustained cuts to her knees and a shoulder injury.

She explained that her dog, which weighed just four kilos, was completely eviscerated in the attack with its intestines ending up outside its body.

He died five minutes later, she added.

See full court report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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A man who sat in a sleeping bag as he begged in Galway City Centre last December, had travelled specially from his home in Athlone to do so, Galway District Court heard.

In imposing a one-month sentence, Judge Mary Fahy said that she could not get past the fact that the defendant had been on bail at the time.

“He was three times (caught) in Galway doing the same thing, and on bail (at the time),” she said.

Romanian national, Petru Muntean (34), with an address at 85 Thornbury Drive, Willow Park, Athlone, pleaded guilty to engaging in begging, and obstructing the passage of people at Upper Abbeygate Street on Saturday, December 2 last, contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2011.

Garda Mary Freeley had told the court that the city centre was particularly busy at the time when she observed the defendant in a sleeping bag by the side of the street.

The court heard that he had two previous convictions for similar offences, and one for handling stolen property. The latest one was imposed on December 4 last year – two days after he was caught begging by Garda Freeley.

“He was on bail when this occurred,” Judge Fahy remarked.

His solicitor, Elaine Murphy, said that her client told her he had come to Galway to sell the Big Issue magazine, but that this “didn’t work out.” She handed in a death certificate for the defendant’s aunt, whose funeral he had recently attended in Romania, the reason given for missing his initial court appearance.

“He comes up from Athlone, he’s not employed, he has no means, but he can go back to Romania to the funeral of his aunt at short notice,” Judge Fahy replied.

“We all know that it costs a lot of money to fly anywhere at short notice . . .  this occurred while he was on bail from this court for a similar offence, and he knew that.”

Ms Murphy offered her client’s apologies for his absence from court, and added that his pregnant wife was very anxious about the case. She asked that if a sentence was to be imposed, that the Judge would consider suspending it on condition that he stays out of Galway.

“I can’t make a fool out of the court by suspending it,” came the reply.

“He received a fine for €2,000 for handling stolen property, and he’s not employed. I’m sure it wasn’t paid. I can’t get away from the fact that he was on bail to be of good behaviour – he’s really tearing it now.”

The Judge proceeded to impose a one month sentence. Recognisances were fixed, in the event of an appeal, on his own surety of €200 and an independent surety of €300, half to be lodged in each case.

The conditions are that he must stay away from Galway City and County, pending completion of any appeal.

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A 43-years-old father of five shouted abuse at a Judge who had imposed an eight-month sentence on him for continuous driving offences, at Galway District Court.

“You’d want to get the right brother – I didn’t rob your house,” the defendant roared at Judge Mary Fahy, before being surrounded by a large number of Gardaí and led away.

“Eight months for what? I didn’t rob your house.”

Trevor Harlowe, with an address at 74 Corrach Buí, Rahoon, had pleaded guilty to having no insurance on a number of occasions, with not wearing a seat belt, and driving with a mobile phone.

Garda Kieran Quinn told the court that he was on duty in the early hours of November 6 2016 when he stopped the Opel Astra driven by Harlowe, and demanded to see his insurance.

In a separate incident, in January, he was detected driving a different car at a speed of 85km in a 50km zone along the Quincentenary Bridge. He was found to be without a seatbelt, and he had no insurance again on this occasion.

In April, in a third car, he was stopped at a checkpoint and found to have had no insurance again, and the vehicle was seized. On July 23 last, a Garda stopped him driving a fourth vehicle while using a mobile phone.

“He had four different vehicles – seizing them doesn’t seem to be any punishment for him,” Judge Fahy remarked.

The court heard that Harlowe had 40 previous convictions, among them five for driving without insurance, the last of which was imposed in 2012.

His solicitor, Sean Acton, told the court that his client technically had had insurance in 2016, but that this policy was not worth the paper it was printed on.

“He had been asked to disclose any convictions he’d had in the previous five years, but he didn’t,” he said.

“He had cover, but it was like throwing money into the abyss, it was useless, he had even made a down-payment of €1,400 on it.

“The policy was not cancelled, but this would have rendered it void. If something had happened, the insurance company would have used this as a ‘get-out clause.’”

He asked the court to consider a Community Service order for his client, considering that he had five children, and was now “a marked man.”

The Judge, however, said that Harlowe’s continuous level of offending was proof that he had not learned his lesson.

“The first time he was unable to produce his insurance should have stopped him in his tracks, but he continued on,” she said.

“Once is bad enough, twice is getting worse, but three or four times, that’s totally reckless.”

She imposed a total of eight months imprisonment, and a five-year driving disqualification.

Recognisances were fixed, in the event of an appeal, on his own surety of €400, and an independent surety of €400, half to be lodged in each case.

Free legal aid was granted.

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A man threatened to burn a Garda’s house down and also threatened his family while Gardaí and ambulance personnel were dealing with an accident.

Kevin Barry (39), a native of Mervue, who now resides at the Fairgreen Hostel, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court to three charges of breaching the peace by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour on three separate occasions around the city in recent weeks.

The offences occurred at Siobhan McKenna Road, Newcastle, on December 19 last; on January 30 last at Ballybane Shopping Centre; and on February 17 last at Eglinton Street.

Barry was highly intoxicated on all three occasions.

Sergeant Finbarr Philpott told the court the second offence occurred while Gardai and an ambulance crew were attending to a man who had fallen and injured his head.

Barry became involved and was highly abusive and threatening.  He threatened Garda Ray Quinn that he would burn his house down and would harm his family. He had also been highly abusive to staff at Ballybane Shopping Centre while intoxicated.

Defence solicitor, Valerie Corcoran said Barry didn’t even know who Garda Quinn was or where he lived and he didn’t remember making the threats. She said Barry’s own family home had been burnt down some years ago.    She said he didn’t remember making the threat to Garda Quinn, and if he had, he was very sorry.

Sgt Philpott said Barry had 76 previous convictions, the most recent being on February 12 last when he was given a suspended prison sentence for breaching the peace and being drunk in public.  The sentence had been suspended at the time on condition he be of good behaviour.

Judge Mary Fahy said the suspended sentence was imposed only a few weeks ago and Barry had reoffended while on bail for some of the offences before the court.

“I do not see why Gardaí and ambulance personnel have to be subjected to abuse by this man.  He comes into court when he feels like it,” the judge said.

Defence solicitor, Valerie Corcoran said her client had pleaded guilty to all of the charges.

Judge Fahy pointed out that Barry could not contest the charges because he couldn’t even remember abusing Garda Quinn or threatening to burn his house down. She sentenced Barry to a total of four months in prison.

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A man who is “sick” of people putting images of him on the internet, has admitted slapping a woman’s mobile phone out of her hand because he believed she was taking a picture of him in Eyre Square late one night.

Seamus Hynes (35), a native of Headford, who resides at Sandyview Drive, Riverside, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court this week to causing €79 worth of damage to the woman’s mobile phone on September 23 last year.

Sergeant Finbarr Philpott, prosecuting, said a woman approached Gardai at 12.25am that night to complain that Hynes had just slapped her phone from her hand as she was attempting to take a selfie outside Supermac’s.

He said Hynes had twelve previous convictions, including one for causing criminal damage in 2010 and breaching the peace in 2011.

“I’m very curious to know why he did it?,” Judge Fahy asked.

“I’m sick of people trying to put me on the internet.  It’s going on quite a lot judge,” Hynes replied.

“People are always taking pictures of him and if you Google him there are lots of pictures and stuff,” defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor said.

She said Hynes had brought €79 to court to pay for the damage.

Judge Fahy said the woman told Gardaí she had been taking a selfie of herself.

Ms Traynor said her client would not accept that and he felt she was trying to include him in the photo.

Judge Fahy said that putting photos of Hynes up on the internet and making derogatory comments about him was totally unacceptable.

“There is a query, whether she was taking a selfie or if she was including him in the photo,” Judge Fahy observed.

Judge Fahy said it was quite difficult to stop people taking photos in public but that taking photos of people without their consent and putting them up on the internet was unacceptable.

Sgt Philpott said the woman had not been doing that.

Judge Fahy accepted the woman had been trying to take a selfie and she advised Hynes that if people started to take photos of him in future, he was to simply move away.  She then warned him he could not behave as he had done on this occasion.

Hearing Hynes was always courteous and mannerly towards his solicitor and the Gardaí and had managed to stay out of trouble since 2011, Judge Fahy convicted and fined him €150 for this offence.

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A 46-year-old man terrorised a former friend and neighbour, threatening to kill her and her family by burning their house down.

Darren McKeown, with addresses at 37 Bóthar Waithman, Ballybane, and formerly Leas an Coille and Fana Glas, appeared in custody before Galway District Court where he pleaded guilty to trespassing at his neighbour’s home in Bóthar Waithman twice on November 21 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to having a shovel intended to incapacitate or intimidate a person or cause them harm at Bóthar Waithman on January 11.

McKeown further pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and to breaching the peace by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour at Bóthar Waithman and at Fana Glas on dates between July 6 last year and January 11 last.

Garda Sean McHugh was called to Bóthar Waithman on November 21 last  where he heard McKeown make a series of threats to a neighbour.

McKeown had tried to force his way into the woman’s home. He threatened to kill her and her family by burning her house down.

Gardaí were again called to the neighbourhood on January 11 last where they found McKeown shouting abuse at neighbours on the road while waving the shovel over his head.  A neighbour captured the incident on CCTV from his home and showed it to Gardaí.  McKeown had been held on remand in prison since that evening.

Sergeant Finbarr Philpott, prosecuting, said the woman who had received the threats in November was friendly with McKeown’s former partner and McKeown had gone to her house with the shovel.

He said the accused had 19 previous convictions for public order and motoring offences along with breach of a barring order.

Defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor, said her client told her the last few weeks had been the longest in his life because of the enforced sobriety he had endured, since going into custody on January 11.

She said her client and former partner broke up last October and things had escalated from there.

Ms Traynor said there were plans to rehouse her client and while in custody he had made contact with the probation service, hoping to get into residential treatment on his release for his alcohol addiction.

Reading a victim impact statement which was handed into court, Judge Fahy observed the woman who had been subjected to McKeown’s intimidation and threats had young children and she and her family had been badly affected.

McKeown gave evidence he had gone back on the drink and he picked up the spade and went down the road after someone had kicked in his front door and broken into his house.

He said the woman he had threatened had once been a good friend, but he claimed she had gone to the Council and petitioned to get him out of his house.

He conceded she had been caught in the middle of an argument between him and his former partner.

“I’m a man and a chronic alcoholic.  I went into Castlerea and this is the first time in 30 years that I have been sober.  The only reason I was arrested (on January 11) was because the Garda feared for my safety.  When I take medication and drink, I don’t know what I do sometimes.

“I’m suffering from dry drink syndrome in the jail,” he told Judge Fahy.

McKeown said he was sorry for the threats he made and said the Council told him they would rehouse him after this.

Judge Fahy became incensed.  She told McKeown there were at least 200 people waiting for homes in the city at present and that when he got a house, he just couldn’t behave himself.

She sentenced him to nine months for arming himself with the shovel and she imposed a consecutive three-month sentence for the first trespass charge followed by another one-month’s consecutive sentence for the second trespass.

She imposed another consecutive one-month sentence for one incident of breaching the peace and imposed concurrent one-month sentences on the remaining charges. She suspended four months of the 14-month sentence on condition McKeown reside somewhere other than his current address, have no contact with the woman or her family and link in with the probation service within 24 hours of his release from prison.

As he was being led away McKeown shouted he had been waiting nine years for a house and now he and his daughter would be back on the streets again.

Realising the length of the sentences imposed, McKeown shouted to Judge Fahy that she had gone too far, adding: “What a load of bollox.”

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A chef, who took exception to a bus driver asking for more money to fully cover a fare, was convicted and fined for being threatening and abusive in public, at Galway District Court.

Judge Mary Fahy did not accept that the driver was being offensive when he corrected the defendant for underpaying a student fare by 20c, and said that it may have been an issue of cultural differences.

“‘Hey’ is not a derogatory term, it’s used to bring something to your attention – you totally over-reacted in my view,” she told him.

Alaa Al Bataineh (40), with an address at 58 Droim Oir, Clybaun Road, had pleaded not guilty to being threatening and abusive on two separate dates in November 2016.

Ciaran Kenny, a driver with City Direct Bus, told the court that he was operating the 412 service, along the Western Distributor Road to Eyre Square, on November 14 when he approached the bus stop opposite Clybaun Stores where there were up to eight people waiting.

“The defendant boarded, showed me a student ID card and put €1.30 in the chute – I informed him that the fair structure had changed (some months earlier), and that it was now €1.50 for a student,” he recalled.

“He started shouting and abusing me, he told me to f**k off, that I was a racist. He was very aggressive, and I felt threatened. I asked him to calm down… he slammed the 20c into the chute.”

Mr Kenny, who worked as a taxi driver in Dublin for 13 years, said that this was unfortunately a common occurrence now in his role as a bus driver in Galway.

In the interests of the passengers who were upset, he decided to let the defendant remain on the bus. When he got back to the bus depot, though, he reported the matter to his boss

He was told not to let the defendant on the bus again, and to report any further incidents to Gardaí immediately.

Four days later, the same driver was operating the 411 service from the Cappagh Road to Eyre Square. A large group of passengers were waiting for him at the bus stop outside the Clybaun Hotel.

“He was one of them; I’d been told by my boss that he was not allowed on, and to call Gardaí. I told him he could not come on, he got very aggressive, he put his head well in towards me and started shouting ‘hit me… racist bastard.’

“The bus was fairly full, it’s a busy route, I stepped off the bus while waiting for Gardaí. I was very upset, these are ongoing incidents, I am off work sick from another incident.

“It’s not what you want in a work day. I worked 13 years as a taxi driver in Dublin … this was a very frightening experience.”

When Garda Micheál Murphy arrived on the scene at 1.20pm he met both parties. A female passenger came forward to make herself known, but did not wish to make a statement.

“The driver said that the male had been roaring at him; he pushed him away as he was worried for his own safety,” he told the court.

The defendant, a Jordanian national, said that he had been training to be a chef in GMIT at the time, and had often caught the bus, but only ever paid €1.30.

“I’d have paid more if I’d known,” he said.

“He (the driver) started shouting and screaming at me. He was very rude.”

He took offence that the driver had said something along the lines of “hey, hey, hey, come back” to him.

Before the prosecution had the opportunity to question the witness, Judge Fahy short-circuited things by telling the defendant that he had over-reacted. She said that cultural differences may have been to blame, and explained that ‘hey’ was a commonly used word in Ireland to catch someone’s attention.

“I don’t think that the driver meant to insult you, and you totally over-reacted – I don’t accept your evidence,” she told him.

She further said that the injured party, who had had years of experience dealing with the public as a taxi driver in Dublin, would not have called the Gardaí for no good reason.

She convicted the defendant, imposing a €250 fine for the first incident, along with €50 in witness expenses. The second matter was marked proven.

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Galway Bay fm newsroom – An Inis Mór resident has been charged with possession of stolen property after a pub on the island was burgled and vandalised.
Almost €5,000 worth of damage was caused to Joe Watty’s Pub in Kilronan following a robbery on the morning of St Patrick’s Day.
Almost €500 worth of cash and cigarettes was taken, and the pub was badly damaged during the incident.
Following a search carried out this week, items were found linking the accused to the burglary.
24-year-old Colm O’Goill with an address in Kilmurvey was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property.
He appeared this week before Galway District Court, and has been remanded on bail to appear before Kilronan district court on June 7th.

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The days when a man came home expecting to have his dinner on the table were long gone in Ireland, Galway District Court was told.

Judge Mary Fahy made the comment after hearing evidence in the case of a man who broke a safety order and assaulted his wife when he came home drunk to find his dinner wasn’t ready.

Sergiu Perciun of Meadow Grove, Ballybane pleaded guilty to being in breach of the safety order and to assaulting his now ex-partner at that address on April 10 last year.

Another assault on a minor was withdrawn after the injured party told Gardaí she didn’t want to pursue the matter.

The Court heard evidence that the 40-year-old Moldovan national had come home drunk and abusive when his dinner wasn’t on the table. As he threw his arms in the air to make his point, he hit his partner in the face.

The Court heard Perciun was deeply remorseful and accepted that he had consumed too much alcohol on the day.

His ex-partner gave evidence that the marriage had broken down and that he was no longer living at home. Through her daughter, acting as interpreter, she said she had been in a bad mood that day when she called the Gardaí. She didn’t wish him to be sent to prison, but she didn’t want him coming to her house.

Judge Fahy said she wasn’t surprised the marriage had failed as “the days are long gone when a man can come home demanding his dinner – even for a sober man, it was never acceptable.”

In defence, it was heard that he didn’t drink anymore. When Judge Fahy heard he was earning €600 a week, she expressed surprise that another Judge had granted him free legal aid and reminded him that he would indeed be paying his own legal fees as his income put him over the threshold to be eligible for it.

Judge Fahy imposed a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years on his own bond of €300 on condition that he be of good behaviour and stay away from the complainant and her property.

She warned him that being in breach of a safety order was a serious issue as it was a breach of a court order. Judge Fahy imposed a concurrent two-month prison sentence for the assault, also suspended for two years.

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Guests of a city hotel were more than taken aback when a drunk man started taking their drinks and demanding cigarettes.

Galway District Court heard how Alan Doherty of the Fairgreen Hostel had entered the lobby on September 4 last year and caused a nuisance.

Evidence was given that he had gone into men’s toilet and taken his clothes off and proceeded to wash himself at the sink. The Duty Manager had called Gardaí after he and staff failed to get him off the premises.

By the time Gardaí arrived, Doherty, was outside the front door smoking a cigarette with a can of beer in his hand.

As Garda O’Brien approached the entrance, he saw Doherty urinating into one of the plant boxes on either side of the main door.

Earlier, Doherty, had put his hand down in front of his track suit bottom and threatened to urinate in the lobby shouting that he had not been allowed to use the hotel toilets, the Court heard.

Replying to defending solicitor, Elaine Murphy, that much of the information given in court was second hand, Garda O’Brien told Judge Mary Fahy he had seen Doherty with his own eyes urinating in public while people were around.

When he approached him he observed Doherty was highly intoxicated and his speech was slurred.

He was arrested shortly afterwards at 1.10pm.

When Doherty started talking over the court proceedings, Judge Fahy asked Ms Murphy to have a word with her client as she had seen him do this before, describing it as an effort to thwart and distract proceedings.

Ms Murphy said her client did not wish to give evidence.

Doherty pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of wine worth €11 from Centra at Forster Street on February 18 last as he had been identified on CCTV.

He was given a one-month prison sentence for the more serious Public Order offence and will run consecutive to his existing three-month sentence.

He was fined €100 for the lesser public order offence with another €100, payable forthwith, for the theft of the wine.

Judge Fahy said the whole incident must have been very upsetting for both staff and guests adding that Doherty caused a huge nuisance.

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A man who stole a beard shaving set from TK Maxx to win a bet has been given time to pay €200 to the court poor box to avoid a criminal conviction.

Krysztof Lassota (33), 87 Frenchpark, Oranmore, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court this week to stealing a clipper and trimmer set worth €27 from TK Maxx, Bothar na mBan, Galway, on November 8 last year.

Lassota told Judge John King he stole the item to win a bet with his friend.

“You won’t be making stupid bets like that again, will you?,” Judge King asked.

Lassota asked for a chance to pay for the item.

“Well, go down to the shop and buy it,” the judge replied.

He advised Lassota he would not give him a criminal conviction if he paid €200 to the court poor box.  Lassota asked for time to do that.

The judge adjourned the matter to July 23 for the money to be paid into court and indicated he would apply Section 1.1 of the Probation

Act, which does not carry a conviction if the money was paid over.

The judge ruled that if the money was not paid to the poor box, Lassota would be convicted and fined €200 on that date.

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A date has been set for the trial of a 61-year-old man who is charged with the sexual assault of a boy during the 1990s.
The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, faces 20 counts of sexually assaulting the boy at a County Galway location on various dates between July 1994 and March 1996.
Circuit Court Judge Rory McCabe has listed the man’s trial, which is expected to last a week, for December 11.
Bail was initially granted to the accused in the District Court on condition he make no contact with the complainant or any other witnesses involved in the case and that he notify Gardai of any change of address.
He is to continue signing on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at his local Garda station, provide a mobile phone number to Gardai, be available to Gardai at all times, and observe a nightly curfew from 10pm to 8am.

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A 63-year-old father of six, who exposed himself outside a school in the city three years ago, was fined €500 at Galway District Court.

In imposing the penalty, Judge Mary Fahy said that she was taking into account that none of the children from the school had seen the man masturbating, although a child was accompanying two of the eye witnesses on the date in question.

Sgt Georgina Lohan told the court that Garda Peter Colleran was dispatched to the canal, behind Scoil Croí Íosa, Presentation Road, at 2pm on April 30 2015, on report of a man exposing himself.

He patrolled the area, but could not locate the defendant. He spoke to the national school’s headmaster, who had reported the incident, and he gave a description.

A further two female witnesses came forward, they had seen the same man getting into a car, and were able to pass on the registration details.

Through this, Thomas Conroy, with an address at Shanacavass, Leitir Mór, was identified, and subsequently interviewed on June 30. During his caution statement he admitted exposing himself.

His solicitor, Valerie Corcoran, said that the location of the incident, behind a school, had been “completely co-incidental.” She said that her client had just been at the nearby hospital to visit a dying friend, adding that he had an issue with alcohol.

She asked the court to take into account his previously good record, that he was addressing his problems through counselling, and was at no risk of re-offending.

She said that the incident had occurred at the far end of the school’s grounds, and that none of the pupils were affected.

Sgt Lohan, however, pointed out that one of the female witnesses had a child with her.

Judge Fahy advised the solicitor that Conroy’s age had nothing to do with how she would deal with the matter.

“We have had other people here on these types of charges who have been older than him,” she said.

“On previous occasions, I’ve dealt with this type of case with a suspended sentence. One person did re-offend during the period of suspension and ended up serving a sentence.”

She went on to impose a conviction for threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour in public, along with a fine of €500.

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