Attempting to bite a garda and driving without insurance among some of the cases heard in Wexford
Wexford PeopleA number of cases were heard at Gorey and Wexford district court recently.
Community service for public order offences
A man in his 30s who tried to bit a member of the gardaí had his case adjourned.
The court heard that on the night in question gardaí went to 1 Woodslands Manor, Gorey, on April 10, 2024, at the request of one of the residents where they encountered Alvydas Ciurovas (31) of 2 Emmett Place, Carnew, Wicklow.
The court heard that gardaí asked Ciurovas to leave the property. The defendant subsequently returned to the house and when gardaí arrested him he became aggressive and attempted to bite a member of An Garda Síochána resulting in the accused being pepper sprayed.
Lana Doherty, solicitor for the defendant, informed the court that at the time in question her client was residing at this address with his family and they were all having drinks together. When Ciurovas was asked to leave he returned to the property to get a jacket as he had nowhere else to go.
Ciurovas was sworn in and gave evidence himself that he was living at 1 Woodlands Manor, Gorey, where everyone was drinking at the time. He confirmed it was his sister-in-law who called the gardaí as he was drunk. The defendant stated he only became agitated after being pepper sprayed due to the fact that he could not see anything.
The court heard the accused has six previous convictions for various offences including theft, public order, and burglary.
Ms. Doherty informed the court that the defendant accepts there was alcohol taken on the night, he is a self professed alcoholic and is aiming to get into a rehabilitation treatment.
Judge Cheatle adjourned the matter to November 5 for a community service report to be prepared. If suitable the defendant will carry out 80 hours community service in lieu of three months imprisonment.
A speed check conducted on the R702 Milehouse Road detected Peter David Skerritt (27) of 56 Shingan, Milehouse Road, Enniscorthy, travelling at a speed of 72kmh in a 50kmh zone.
Garda Doyle gave evidence to the court that Skerrit was stopped at Shingan, Milehouse Road, Enniscorthy, Wexford, when Garda Doyle observed the discs in the vehicle’s windscreen were expired.
Garda Doyle conducted a roadside salvia test which returned a positive result for the presence of cannabis.
Skerrit paid a number of fines in relation to the expired discs save for the no insurance and speeding fine. Catriona Walsh, solicitor for the defendant, told the court Skerritt had only purchased the car at the time of the stop, was co-operative at the time, and is starting his own business so the loss of his licence while have a significant impact on him.
Judge Cheatle disqualified Skerritt from driving for two years in relation to the charge of no insurance, and for a further year in relation to the charge of drug driving. The Judge also imposed a fine of €500 with six months to pay.
Joshua Martin (26) of 25 Ashgrove, Enniscorthy, Wexford, was before the court in relation to an offence of holding a mobile phone while driving. Martin admitted to the offence at the time but was not present in court.
Judge Cheatle fined the accused €150 with four months to pay.
Janos Marko (38) of 8 Westbury Woods, Greenville Lane, Enniscorthy, Wexford, was convicted in his absence in relation to a charges of driving without insurance and without tax on December 27 2024 at the R722 Shannon Quay, Enniscorthy.
Judge Cheatle fined the accused €500 with six months to pay.
A Wexford man was before the court on a charge of dangerous driving which was reduced to careless driving. The court heard that on November 28, 2023 at the N30 in Enniscorthy James Doheny (55) of Kilthomas, Ferns, Wexford, crossed over the white line and collided with oncoming traffic.
Both Doheny and the injured party were taken to hospital, the injured party was not hurt whereas Mr. Doheny suffered a number of injuries including a broken pelvis.
Catriona Walsh, solicitor for the accused, stated that Doheny remembers it being a winter night and Wexford County Council had just salted the roads, he stated he must have been distracted by the oncoming lights and veered over the line.
Ms. Walsh added that the accused accepts liability and the matter is being handled by his insurance company. Judge Cheatle fined the defendant €250 with six months to pay.
Derek Dunne (49) of 7 Palmers Close, Dublin, was convicted of holding a mobile phone while driving on February 20, 2025 at the R772 Camolin. Judge Cheatle fined Dunne €150 with four months to pay.
Aron Whelan (26) of St. Judes, Ballygahan, Avoca, Wicklow, was before the court in relation to a charge of no insurance on November 1, 2024 at the R741 Knockmullen, Gorey. Whelan stated he was unaware his insurance had lapsed at this time and has since insured the vehicle.
In those circumstances Judge Cheatle fined Whelan €250 with four months to pay in respect of the failure to produce insurance charge and took the charge of no insurance into consideration.
Seamus Doyle (26) of Ballinacoola, Craanford, Gorey, was before the court on a charge of no insurance on January 2, 2025 at the R741 Gorey.
Doyle informed the court that on the day in question he was driving to collect a car part for his car which was insured and that he simply took a chance. Judge Cheatle fined Doyle €150 with five months to pay.
Rui Tarvalho Diniz Filho (36) of Tomagaddy, Ballycanew, Gorey, plead guilty to a charge of no insurance at the R741 Ballycanew on March 17 2025. Lana Doherty, solicitor for the defendant, informed the court that Filho held a Brazilian driving license and as a result the insurance company would not insure the car due to its age. Filho has since obtained an Irish provisional licence. Judge Cheatle fined the accused €250 with six months to pay.
A speed check carried out on the R728 Enniscorthy on February 2 2025 found Andy Cash of (27) of 32 Cluain Dara, Enniscorthy, Wexford, travelling at a speed of 99km/hour on an 80km road. The court heard cash has eleven previous convictions, ten of which are road traffic related. Judge Cheatle fined the accused €200 with four months to pay.
Darren Raymond Pidgeon (42) of 3 Kilakee Close, Dublin, was convicted of driving while holding a mobile phone while driving on the R741 Ballycanew on February 4 2025. The court heard Pidgeon has six previous convictions. Judge Cheatle fined the accused €200 with five months to pay.
Numchok Sirirak (39) of 12 Cluain an Oir, Enniscorthy, Wexford, was before the court in relation to driving without a license and driving uninsured on March 22 2025 at Shannon Quay, Enniscorthy.
Lana Doherty, solicitor for the accused, informed the court that Sirirak is a Thai national who has been living in Ireland for eight months working as an engineer.
Ms. Doherty stated the insurance company would not insure the car due to its age. Judge Cheatle fined the accused €150 with four months to pay.
A bench warrant issued for Nilfani De Paula Barbousa (46) of 6B Ryland Road, Bunclody, Wexford.
Barbousa is due before the court on charges of careless driving at Main Street, Bunclody, on March 26 2023 however the court heard the defendant has returned to Brazil.
There was no appearance by Trevor O’Brien (51) of Knocklyre, Clonakilty, Cork. O’Brien is charged with causing loss by deception at Tomfarney, Clonroche, Wexford, on May 10 2023. A bench warrant was issued in his absence.
Christopher Stokes (25) of 15 Tor an Ri Lane, Balgaddy, Dublin, was due before the court in relation to a theft offence which took place at Tesco, Gorey, on March 24 2024.
There was no appearance by Stokes and a bench warrant was issued.
A bench warrant issued for Mark Freeman (42) of 45 Gimont Avenue, Enniscorthy, Wexford. Freeman is due before court in relation to an alleged charge of possession of drugs at Gimont Avenue, Enniscorthy, on May 2 2021.
A bench warrant issued for Sean Byrne (30) of 4 Beachside Gardens, River Chapel, Courtown Habour, Wexford.
Byrne is charged in relation to an alleged assault which took place at Lidl, Arklow Road, Gorey, on December 6 2024.
A bench warrant issued for Patrick Sweeney (49) of 42 Cois Mara, Rosslare Strand, Wexford in relation to alleged road traffic offences including driving uninsured and driving without a license at the R740 Pollrankin on January 17 2023.
There was no appearance in court by Sweeney.
There was no appearance by Kevin Caulfield (46) of 21 Long Meadows, New Ross, Wexford.
Kinsella is due before the court in relation to an alleged offence of refusal to comply with An Garda Síochána on August 28 2023 at Cluain Fada, New Ross, Wexford.
A bench warrant issued in his absence.
Rose Deane (34) of 24 Kiltalown Road, Tallaght, Dublin was due before the court in relation to an alleged theft offence at Spar, Gorey, on March 15 2025.
There was no appearance by Deane and a bench warrant was issued.
A bench warrant issued for Dean Walsh (30) of 15 Wolfe Tone Villas, Wexford.
Walsh is due before the court for an alleged drug driving offence which took place at Kennedy Park, Wexford on February 6 2024.
A Wexford man was charged with drug driving. The court heard that Brian O’Neill (44) of Tomanine, Rathnure, Wexford, was driving in Enniscorthy on April 28 2024 when Inspector Jennings of Gorey Garda Station observed the vehicle which did not stop at a stop sign.
Inspector Jennings pursued the vehicle, once stopped a road side test was conducted on the driver which returned positive for cocaine.
Gerry Flynn, solicitor for the accused, informed the court that O’Neill currently resides in Austria and was home visiting at the time. Judge Cheatle imposed a one year driving disqualification and a €200 fine with four months to pay.
Joseph Skerritt (28) of 1 Beachside Walk, River Chapel, Courtown Harbour, Wexford, plead guilty to an offence of drug driving which occurred on December 14 2023 at Sea Scapes, Ardamine, Courtown, Wexford.
On the day in question Gardaí attended at a road traffic collision where the accused was taken to Wexford General Hospital for a concussion.
A drug test was carried out which returned positive for cannabis. Judge Cheatle imposed a 1-year driving disqualification.