A 23‑year‑old man, Martin Daly of Balbriggan, was charged with unlawful possession of heroin and Diazepam, obstruction of a Garda, attempted swallowing of heroin bags, threatening and abusive behaviour, assaulting a Garda, and possession of a stolen laptop. He was remanded on continuing bail to appear before Balbriggan District Court on 16 January next year. A 34‑year‑old man, Aidan McDonnell of Lusk, was charged with disorderly conduct and pushing a Garda. He was remanded on continuing bail to appear before Swords District Court on 3 February next year. A 37‑year‑old man, Sebestian Knecht of Swords, was charged with using an altered driving licence, possessing a false insurance disc, and driving without insurance. He was remanded on continuing bail to appear before Swords District Court on 3 February next year. All three cases were heard by Judge Dermot Dempsey.
Swords District Court heard three matters. Gary McQuillian, 23, pleaded guilty to being drunk and a source of danger after jumping onto a moving taxi's bonnet. Judge Dermot Dempsey applied Section 1.1 of the Probation Act, meaning McQuillian escaped a conviction. Ronan Healy, 34, pleaded guilty to drink driving after failing to stop at a junction, causing a squad car to brake to avoid a collision. Healy, who has four previous convictions including one for drink driving, was convicted, disqualified from driving, and fined €600. Sam Maughan, 19, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and using threatening and abusive behaviour at a Debs Ball. Maughan, who has 22 previous convictions, was remanded on continuing bail to appear before Court 5 at the Criminal Courts of Justice on November 21st to have a suspended sentence re-entered. The court noted Maughan had threatened Gardaí and had to be restrained by door staff. All defendants were represented by solicitors, and evidence was presented by Gardaí Brian Morrissey, Lucy Woods, and Daniel Rogers.
At Balbriggan District Court, Erik Keder (27) of Swords, Co Dublin, was sentenced after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of implements. Keder, who admitted to carrying a six-inch hunting knife and screwdriver at New Haggard Bridge in Lusk on March 14, 2012, while intoxicated, was ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of a six-month prison sentence. Judge Dermot Dempsey noted the seriousness of carrying a knife while intoxicated. In a separate matter, James Ward (43) of Balbriggan was remanded on continuing bail to await DPP directions. Ward is charged with inducing seven individuals to make lodgements totaling over €2,000 into his bank account for goods, including Electric Picnic tickets and mobile phones, which he allegedly advertised online but did not provide. He is scheduled to reappear on February 6th. Additionally, Linda Barrett (29) of Balbriggan was remanded on continuing bail for a probation report. Barrett is charged with being abusive and aggressive to gardai at Beaumont Hospital's A&E department on October 8th. Her solicitor stated she has abstained from alcohol since the incident. Judge Dempsey warned Barrett that he must be satisfied she is addressing her alcohol problem. She is to appear before Swords District Court on January 13th.
Paul Murtagh, 29, of Clonshaugh Heights, appeared before Swords District Court on 13 November 2013 charged with driving without insurance. He was alleged to have been stopped twice this year: on 17 April on Malahide Road and on 2 September on Feltrim Road, both times for lacking insurance. Defence solicitor Patrick Jackson requested a hearing date for both matters. Judge Dermot Dempsey asked why Murtagh had not appeared earlier; Murtagh replied he was at his grandfather's funeral. The judge remanded him on a €200 bond and adjourned the case to 27 January. Murtagh had previously been convicted on Monday at Dublin District Court for possessing a stolen Marmoset monkey, caught in his car on 1 October 2013 after the animal was taken during a burglary in County Kildare. He avoided prison, receiving 80 hours of community service in lieu of four months.
Janina Griskevica, 54, pleaded guilty in Swords District Court to assaulting store detective David Ellison, possessing a pocket knife, and stealing nearly €50 from Woodies DIY on 25 August. She claimed the knife was for work and that she had no intention to steal, saying she panicked after losing her wallet and thought it was in the shop's toilet. Garda Noel Callan testified that Griskevica punched Ellison when he tried to retrieve the items and that she attempted to take the knife from her pocket when handcuffed. Griskevica had no prior convictions. Judge Alan Mitchell sentenced her to two months for each offence – assault, theft and possession of a knife – and suspended each for six months, ordering €1,000 in compensation. The case concluded with the suspended sentences and no custodial term imposed.
David Lee, a 30‑year‑old from Newtown Court, Northern Cross, was found guilty of assaulting Garda Shane Haughney and using threatening and abusive behaviour at The Estuary Pub in Swords on 25 March. Lee had previously pulled Garda Haughney over several tables in a public house, then struck the officer with an object, causing a laceration to the garda's head. Lee had earlier been involved in an incident at a house in Castlegrange, where he was seen by gardai after speaking to them. He pleaded guilty to the assault. Judge Alan Mitchell sentenced Lee to a four‑month suspended sentence, suspended for one year, and banned him from any premises licensed to sell alcohol in the Dublin area for one year. The judge also ordered that Lee not be under the influence of alcohol in public. Lee has 23 prior convictions and is described by his defence solicitor as a chronic alcoholic heavily addicted to cannabis.
At Swords District Court, Judge Alan Mitchell handled several matters. Wayne Reid (34) of Swords pleaded not guilty to alleged cultivation of two cannabis plants and possession of cannabis herb for sale or supply. The court accepted jurisdiction and remanded Reid on continuing bail to reappear on December 16th. In a separate matter, Martin Connors (21) of Dublin 13 faced an alleged public order offence. The case was struck out after the prosecuting garda failed to appear, despite notice. David O'Toole (36) of Swords pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis herb. He was convicted and fined €300. Michael Conners (29) of New Ross, Wexford, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at the Strand Road junction in Malahide. He was convicted and fined €300. Additionally, Conners was disqualified from driving for two years. The judge refused to reduce the charge to careless driving, citing the risk posed to a cyclist and motorist, and noted Conners' previous careless driving conviction as a significant factor in the decision.
James Whelan, 22, pleaded guilty before Swords District Court to driving without car tax, no NCT, failing to stop for a garda and using threatening and insulting behaviour on 18 February at Moylara Road, Balbriggan. Garda Louise Gernon stopped him, noting the car tax and NCT had expired, and Whelan shouted at her, telling her to 'stick the car up your arse' and to f**k off. He then drove off, requiring a tow truck to seize the vehicle from his home address. Whelan, who has four previous convictions and was addicted to benzodiazepines, apologized to the court and to Gernon. Judge Dermot Dempsey sentenced him to one month in prison, suspended for one year, for the threatening and insulting behaviour, disqualified him from driving for three months and fined him €600.