Court briefs

Careless driving Gavin McIntyre, 9 Bredagh, Carrigallen, was fined €500 and disqualified from driving when convicted on a reduced charge of careless driving at Fartrim, Ballyconnell, on January 19. Inspector Martin Beggy told Ballyconnell District Court that gardaí came upon a car crashed in a ditch at about 10.50pm. The occupants were not there but they later discovered they had been removed to Cavan General Hospital. The driver lost control having hit a bump on the road. The defendant took full responsibility for the driving. Denis McDwyer, solicitor defending, said his client was very remorseful. Meanwhile, Herbert Shaw (67), Straheglin, Belturbet, was also fined €1,000 when convicted on a reduced charge of careless driving at The Diamond, Corporation lands, Belturbet, on January 13. Inspector Beggy said the defendant crashed into an old set of petrol pumps. Judge Sean MacBride said the defendant was lucky that there was no one else on the road at the time and didn’t cause an accident. Publican warned A District Court judge issued a stern warning to publicans throughout the county that he would not tolerate any of them if they did not have public liability insurance covered for a couple of million euro. Judge Sean MacBride said he also wanted CCTV coverage for the dance floor area as well as for the front of the premises. There were large profits to be made especially on Saturday nights where premises had discos, he added. Proprietors had a duty to ensure they were adequately covered. “I have zero tolerance if there is no compliance with my order,” warned Judge MacBride. Sentenced to six months for trespass Marcin Liberda, Gortnaleck, Ballyconnell, was sentenced to six months at the local district court when he was convicted of entering a building at Doon, Ballyconnell, on April 11, with intent to commit an offence. Returned for trial on assault charges A Russian national who is charged with assaulting another man on two separate occasions has been returned for trial at the next sitting of Cavan Circuit Court on November 29. Rustams Birovskis, 26 Bothar Glas, Ballyconnell, appeared before the local district court charged with assaulting Sandris Putans between December 27 and 28 at Doon, Ballyconnell. He was further charged with the assault and false imprisonment of the same individual between December 27 and 28 at 26 Bothar Glas. A charge of using or engaging in threatening behaviour was adjourned to Ballyconnell District Court on January 11. Strict conditions of bail were set. Arrest warrants issued A bench warrant was issued at Ballyconnell District Court for David Daly, Church Road, Swanlinbar, when he failed to appear on a charge of possessing counterfeit notes and coins at Spa Filling Station, Main Street, Swanlinbar, on September 22. A warrant was also issued for James Gilroy, Trasna Island, Lisnaskea, when he failed to appear on a charge of theft at Main Street, Ballyconnell, on March 18. Another warrant was issued for Valentin Ziberts, 26 Birch Grove, Teemore, when he failed to appear on public order offences at Main Street, Ballyconnell, on October 3. A fourth warrant was issued for Darius Baltusis, 17 Bothar Bui, Ballyconnell, when he failed to appear on a charge of having no insurance on his vehicle at Rathkeelan, Ballyconnell, on December 22, 2008. He was also charged with having no driving licence on the occasion. Six months for stealing groceries and cooker A Monaghan man who pleaded guilty to the larceny of groceries from one store and a cooker from another was sentenced to six months at Cavan District Court when he pleaded guilty to the offences. Terence McDonagh, 105 Wylies Hill, Ballybay, was sentenced to six months for stealing groceries to the value of €27.65 from Dunnes Stores, Church Street, Cavan, on July 28, 2009, the property of Gerry Carolan. He was given a concurrent six months for the larceny of a Belling cooker valued at €216 from Woodies DIY, Dublin Road, Cavan, on the same occasion, the property of Ciara O’Brien. Sarah Comiskey BL (instructed by John Gaffney) told Judge Sean MacBride that the defendant was currently serving an eleven-month sentence. Her client was looking to have all charges dealt with before he was released. His current sentence was imposed on July 29, 2010. Two months for disorderly conduct Jimmy Sweeney (22), 76 Ardkeen, Cavan, was sentenced to two months at Cavan District Court for using or engaging in threatening behaviour at Pullamore Far on December 19. Inspector Dermot Drea said Garda Duffy was in the Topaz filling station on the Dublin Road when she observed the defendant in an intoxicated state. He was hassling customers. She approached him and he was uncooperative and insulting. A friend later took him home. Damien Rudden, solicitor defending, said his client was serving an 18 month sentence that was imposed last June for assault and he was not due for release until July 2011. He regretted the incident. Suspended sentence for obstructing garda A Cavan man who threw punches at a garda in the course of his duty was handed a suspended sentence when he pleaded guilty to the offence at Cavan District Court. James Donegan, 9 Laragh Crescent, Cavan, was sentenced to three months suspended for one year for obstructing Garda Michael McHugh at 8 Laragh Crescent on April 30. Inspector Dermot Drea told the court that gardaí responded to a call from Helen Morton regarding a break in at her home. When they arrived, she was clearly distressed and in fear. The defendant came down stairs and was very abusive towards the members. He began throwing punches but none of them landed. The defendant was very violent and aggressive. He had two previous convictions. Denis McDwyer, solicitor defending, said his client had been locked out of his own home on the night. His wife went to bed thinking that her husband was already in bed and locked the house. Judge Sean MacBride said as far as he was concerned his wife would have known if he was in the house or not. It was very serious for the defendant to put his fist to a garda. “I have to send out a clear message to the public that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.” He warned the defendant that if he committed any public order offence within the next year he would be going away for three months. Suspended sentence Patrick Pierce, 51 Drumnaveil, Cootehill, was handed a three-month suspended sentence for two years at the same court when he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a garda direction at Market Street, Cootehill, on May 16. Communty service for stealing from bus driver A Dublin man who stole money from a bus driver was directed to complete 100 hours of community service in lieu of three month’s detention in St. Patrick’s Institution when he pleaded guilty to the offence. Paul Broe, 40 Castletimon Avenue, Coolock, Dublin 15, was charged that on October 8 at Farnham Street, Cavan, he stole €106, the property of Jufius Nyiawwung. Inspector Dermot Drea told the court that the defendant was a passenger on the bus from Dublin to Cavan. As the bus pulled into Cavan the driver’s attention was diverted and the defendant grabbed the money, as well as the driver’s mobile phone. He made off but the gardaí arrested him a short time later. When interviewed the defendant admitted taking the money. Judge Sean MacBride said it was not a justifiable offence and a frightening ordeal for the bus driver. “The defendant was wise to plead guilty otherwise I would have sent him away.” Failed to give sample Gregory Reilly, Corglass, Ballyjamesduff, was fined €500 and disqualified from driving for eight years at Cavan District Court for failing to give a sample at Cavan Garda Station, Farnham Street on July 12.