GARDA FORCED TO DRAW HIS GUN

A BRAY MAN has been jailed for attacking a garda who had to draw his gun to fend him off.

Barry O’Hagan (35) formerly of 11 Ballywaltrim Cottages, intervened as Garda David McHugh was arresting a woman he suspected of drunk driving.

O’Hagan was sentenced to nine months in prison. He had a previous suspended sentence which was activated and is to be served consecutively.

The incident occurred at Ballywaltrim Heights in Bray at around 1 a.m. last February 26.

Garda McHugh noticed a car pulling out of a driveway and suspected the driver had been drinking.

O’Hagan was one of a number of people at a party there and shouted out ‘gardaí’ from the door.

He proceeded to punch the garda as he attempted to arrest the woman who fled the scene.

He was struck in the back of the head and told ‘you’d better f ***ing go’.

The garda was trying to protect his head from the blows when a passer by tried to help and pulled O’Hagan away but he got out of his grip.

Garda McHugh felt in fear and took out his official firearm and called out ‘armed gardaí’.

O’Hagan looked at him for a few seconds and ran inside before other gardaí arrived to subdue and arrest him.

A garda had to pull out his gun to subdue a man attacking him as he tried to arrest someone.

Barry O’Hagan (35), formerly of 11 Ballywaltrim Cottages but who has since moved to Roscommon, was sentenced to nine months in jail at Bray District Court last Thursday.

Judge David Kennedy also revoked the suspension of a previous six month sentence for failing to comply with gardai.

Garda David McHugh was on routine patrol at Ballywaltrim Heights at around 1 a.m. on February 26.

He saw someone reversing out of a driveway and approached the vehicle. There was a party under way at the house and O’Hagan was at the door and shouted ‘gardai.’

Two men approached garda McHugh and tried to impede him. He was struck in the back of the head and told ‘you’d better f ***ing go.’

Garda McHugh was putting the woman into the car and he felt someone grab him. O’Hagan punched garda McHugh three times. He was protecting himself from the blows.

A resident of the area intervened, grabbed O’Hagan and pulled him away. The woman got away and O’Hagan got away from the person holding him.

Garda McHugh felt in fear and took out his official firearm and called out ‘armed gardai.’ Garda McHugh had also called for backup in the meantime.

O’Hagan looked at him for a few seconds and ran inside. ‘F**k you c***s,’ he called out. It was garda Waldron who apprehended O’Hagan inside the house.

Judge David Kennedy said that he would have refused jurisdiction however his colleague had previously accepted it.

Solicitor Joe Maguire said that his client is contrite and has moved away and broken ties with Bray. ‘He feels he let himself down that night,’ said Mr Maguire. ‘ There was a lot of drink taken and a lot of emotions involved.’ Mr Maguire added that O’Hagan has voluntarily completed an anger management course.

He added that his client said this was out of character for him and he suspects his drink was spiked. ‘I don’t think I’ve come across such a serious offence in my time here,’ said Judge Kennedy.