This article is from page 18 of the 2013-05-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
A LIMERICK man who spat in the face of garda in Kilkee last summer has been sentenced in eight weeks in jail. Lee McNamara (25) had to be restrained by three gardaí during an incident at Strand Line, Kilkee on August 15, 2012.
Mr McNamara, with an address at 150 Glenbrook, Old Singland Road, Limerick, appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.
He pleaded guilty to charges of intoxication and provoking a breach of the peace. The court heard that Mr McNamara was sitting on a wall and shouting obscenities. Inspector Tom Kennedy said that when gardaí intervened, Mr McNamara got more aggressive and spat into a garda’s face. The court heard it took three gardaí to restrain Mr McNamara. The accused has 38 previous convictions, the court heard. Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said, “He apologises unreservedly. He was incredibly intoxicated”. Ms Godfrey said Mr McNamara, a father of one, had been involved in a family dispute on the day. She said her client has lived a life of “misery, drug abuse and addictions. It is about the saddest case I’ve ever seen. There is a sense of sadness pervading Mr McNamara,” she added. Ms Godfrey said her client is a man without hope and without much prospects. Insp Kennedy said that while he did not know the circumstances of Mr McNamara’s life, “his behaviour on the day was deplorable to his child and to the gardaí.”
Addressing Mr McNamara, Judge Patrick Durcan said; “You may not like the gardaí but the guards are empowered to do a job. They do a difficult job.” He said tourism is very important to areas like West Clare and people have the right to go for a walk without seeing such behaviour.
Judge Durcan said he accepted that Mr McNamara has had a difficult background but this did not give him the right to visit these difficulties on the public. However, he added, “someone who spits on the gardaí deserves very little sympathy.”
He fined Mr McNamara € 400 and imposed a 10 week prison sentence. Judge Durcan reduced the sentence by two weeks. A JUDGE