Aggressive behaviour at bypass sod-turning
DEFENDANT HOPED TDS WOULD GIVE EVIDENCE
A DEFENDANT’S hopes that well-known national politicians would appear to give evidence in his vigorously, though unsuccessfully, contested public order case were not fulfilled.
Patrick Rochford (69) of 53 Pondsfield, New Ross stood accused of threatening/abusive behaviour at Camblin on the day of the turning of the sod ceremony for the New Ross bypass.
When the matter was mentioned at Wexford District Court, solicitor Martin Lawlor said he represented Minister for Defence Paul Kehoe.
Mr Lawlor acknowledged that the Minister had received a witness summons from Rochford.
However, his client knew nothing of the circumstances which led to the prosecution and would not be here.
‘Paul Kehoe should be here,’ complained Rochford, adding that summonses had also been issued to ex-Minister Brendan Howlin and current Cabinet member Shane Ross.
While they did not have lawyers in court, there was no sign of Howlin or Ross either.
On the other hand, several high-ranking officials from Wexford County Council – including assistant county manager Annette O’Neill and county secretary Pat Collins – did respond to summonses from the accused pensioner.
Along with Cllr Michael Sheehan, they spent the day in court, though it turned out that the only one required to testify was by-pass project liaison officer Seán Dobbs.
The case dated back to the turning of the sod ceremony at the start of the New Ross bypass at a field in Camblin last February.
The defendant was arrested after he attempted to gain entry to the ceremony which was attended by both Paul Kehoe and then Minister Brendan Howlin, as well as Cllr Michael Sheehan, in their capacity as local public representatives.
Garda (now Sergeant) Patrick Kelly was on duty at the entrance to the site.
He told the court how he first became aware of accused Patrick Rochford when the latter pulled up in a silver Ford car.
After he was asked to move the vehicle, the defendant began shouting and grabbed Kelly’s shoulder to examine his garda number.
It appeared from what he said that he wanted to confront Brendan Howlin, so the garda decided he should not be admitted to the sod turning.
Rochford was asked to leave but instead he insisted that he was going to go in, saying that he had arranged to meet Cllr Sheehan.
He was arrested and, because of the level of aggression shown, he was handcuffed before being put in the back of the patrol car.
The accused man conducted his own case, not always to the satisfaction of Judge John Brennan.
‘You will have to calm down,’ the judge told him after the sergeant was accused of telling lies. ‘You are being very loose in your allegations.’
Throughout more than two hours of evidence, the defendant insisted that he could not be arrested for a public order offence on what he felt was private land.
At one stage he described himself as passionate about justice and policing, adding that he had been looking for years for reform of An Garda Siochána.
‘I should not be put through this,’ he said. ‘I have been treated terribly.’ He told the court that he had worked all his life, paid his taxes, put his children through college and had no criminal record.
However, he accepted that he did become upset at the scene in Camblin and that he was aggressive in his tone when dealing with Sergeant Kelly.
Judge Brennan described the conduct of Kelly and his colleagues Patrick O’Brien and Darren Lyons as very competent.
He observed it was evident that Rochford had anger issues and that his behaviour on the afternoon in question was aggressive.
The location outside the walls of the field was clearly a public place, he ruled.
He observed that the gardaí had a difficult enough job to carry out without having to deal without the thick-headed and blackguarding behaviour of a retired gentleman.
Convictions for failure to comply with a lawful garda instruction and threatening/abusive behaviour were recorded, with a fine of €300.
‘ This is disgusting. This is terrible,’ responded Rochford.
He was warned by the judge to be very careful or he would run the risk of being put in jail for contempt of court.