Judge’s warning for Galway turf-cutters in court
A Galway District Judge warned yesterday that a repeat of incidents that came before him at a court last April concerning assault and obstruction of a Garda Sergeant during a turf-cutters’ demonstration would result in possible prison sentences or heavy fines being imposed.
Judge Geoffrey Browne issued his stern warning when “making an exception” in the case of two men who had come before him earlier in the year on charges of obstruction and assault at a turf-cutters demonstration on April 17 last year at a bog near Portumna.
“If this type of situation arises again it will be dealt with in another way, do we understand each other?” the Judge told a large number of turf cutting activists who turned up at a sitting of Loughrea District Court to hear the final outcome of the case.
John Darcy (40) of Ballycahill, Killimor, and 39 year old Patrick Reddan of 47 Sunhill, Drommvane, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, were both given the benefit of the Probation Act on charges of assaulting and obstructing Sgt Gerard Cleary at Meenakeeba, Portumna, on April 27 2014.
Inspector Declan Rock reminded the court that back in April the Judge had indicated that he would take a certain course in the case if the two defendants did not come to Garda attention in the interim, and he could tell the court that the two gentlemen had not come to notice since.
See full court report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.