This article is from page 13 of the 2008-11-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
A MAN who drove his fist through the windscreen of a garda car in Mil- town Malbay has been handed a two- month jail term.
Michael Mongans (27), of Lis- cannor Road, Lahinch, admitted a charge of criminal damage and also pleaded guilty to two charges under the Public Order Act.
Sergeant Joe Hehir told Miltown Malbay District Court that he en- countered a dispute between the de-
fendant and his wife, at Main Street, Miltown Malbay, at 11.30pm on Jan- uary 26 last. They then turned to go into a bar.
Twenty minutes later, he said he separated the two on the street. How- ever, the accused tried to get to his wife on three occasions. “I restrained him. He was agitated. He told me to f*** off and that he hated the guards,” said Sgt Hehir.
He summoned assistance and as the accused was brought to a garda patrol car, he drove his fist through
the back window. Damage, worth almost €500, was caused to the car and Mongans has since paid this. Sgt Hehir said that the accused had been bound to the peace at the time, arising out of a previous matter. Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said there had been tensions between her client and his wife at the time, which had since been cleared up. She said the accused was “exces- sively drunk” that night and now wanted to put the matter behind him. She said that her client’s family was
the subject of intimidation, arising out of incidents between his family and another family in Ennis between October 2007 and May 2008.
She said that while her client did not play a role in the incidents, he has been forced to move from Ennis to Cork. She said the incident before the court occurred right in the mid- dle of the dispute between the two e-NenBN BLoKe
Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a two-month jail term and fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.