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Drunk driver asked guard to pick up his glasses before kicking him in face, court hears
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Union was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for assaulting a Garda during a high‑speed drunken chase. Union, a father of two from Pinewoods, Clondalkin, was found guilty by a jury of assaulting the Garda after he had asked the officer to pick up his glasses. Union then kicked the Garda in the face, fracturing his nose. He was also found not guilty of resisting arrest but pleaded guilty to one count of drink‑driving, three counts of dangerous driving and one count of failing to stop, all committed in Ballyfermot on 11 April 2012. The court noted Union's prior convictions and the Garda's victim impact statement, and Judge Cormac Quinn imposed the custodial sentence after viewing CCTV footage of the incident.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Drunk driver asked guard to pick up his glasses before kicking him in face, court hears. Charges or matters: one count of drink-driving, three counts of dangerous driving and one count of failing to stop. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Acquitted
When:
- April 11, 2012 Incident
- 2017-04-07 Publication
Why: He had several drinks and drove home because his partner needed the car, Mr Colgan said. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: one count of drink-driving, three counts of dangerous driving and one count of failing to stop (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Acquitted
Outcome: Acquitted; By Isabel Hayes A man who engaged in a high-speed drunken car chase before fracturing the nose of an arresting garda who bent down to pick up his glasses has been jailed for six months. He handed down a 12 month sentence to the father-of-two, but suspended the final six months.
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