Prison sentence handed down at Kilkenny court for assaulting a garda

A two-month sentence was handed down to a defendant who admitted assaulting a garda.

Darren Crosby, 14 Castle Gardens, Ballyragget, Kilkenny appeared via videolink at last week’s sitting of Kilkenny District Court where he was convicted of the offence which took place at Castle Street, Ballyragget on October 28, 2022.

The defendant was also convicted of being intoxicated in a public place and of engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at Castle Street, Ballyragget on the same date. The offences are contrary to sections 4 and 6 of The Public Order Act.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of Captain Morgan’s run from Super Valu in Ballyragget on September 17, 2022.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor told the court that on the date in question the defendant went to Super Valu in Ballyragget and picked up the bottle of rum and left the store without paying for it.

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In relation to the assault and public order charges the sergeant outlined that on the date in question gardaí had received a report that the defendant was being abusive to members of the public in Ballyragget. When gardaí arrived the defendant was abusive and spat at gardaí.

The court heard that the defendant has 67 previous convictions.

Solicitor Chris Hogan told the court that his client had apologised to the garda in questions and added that he is ‘very familiar to the court’.

“My client has a severe addiction to alcohol,” he said.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted the defendant and sentenced him to two months in prison.