FOR obstructing a garda who was trying to defuse a situation at Skibbereen’s Regal Estate, a 31-year-old man was fined €350 at a recent court sitting.
Feliksas Noscius of Apt 20 Levis Quay, Skibbereen, was legally represented at Skibbereen District Court by solicitor Colette McCarthy.
He pleaded guilty to three charges, which included a charge of criminally damaging a rear wiper on a parked car; and failing to comply with a direction given by Gda James Crowley.
Court presenter Sgt Tom Mulcahy said the gardaí were called to ‘a fairly fractious situation’ at the Regal Estate on the Castletownshend Road in Skibbereen, at about 10.45pm on May 27th last, and were trying to calm people down.
The sergeant said Gda Crowley asked the accused to leave on a couple of occasions because his presence was a hindrance to garda efforts to calm the situation.
When Gda Crowley attempted to arrest the accused, he pulled away, grabbed onto a rear window screen wiper and caused €40 worth of damage, which he subsequently paid.
In mitigation, Ms McCarthy said her client has no record of public order offending but, on this occasion, she said he was ‘highly intoxicated’.
The solicitor said her client fully accepts Gda Crowley’s account of events and the accused told the court: ‘I am very sorry.’
‘You should know better,’ said Judge Treasa Kelly. ‘You should have respect for the gardaí.’
The judge did, however, note that the accused had taken responsibility for his actions, so she marked the criminal damage charge, and the charge of failing to comply with a garda direction, into consideration, which means no penalty.
However, for his obstruction of Gda Crowley, Feliksas Noscius is to pay a €350 fine within the next three months.
