DISTRICT COURT ROUND-UP
From our reporter at Sligo Courthouse
Man, 37, admitted that he was drunk on Castle Street
A Sligo man who admitted a charge of being drunk and a danger to himself and others had his case put back to June 21 at the district court.
Thirty-seven-year-old Russell Forde, Yeats Drive, Cranmore, pleaded guilty to the offence that happened on November 25 last at Castle Street.
A charge of using threatening and abusive behaviour at Sligo University Hospital two days later was struck out.
The court heard the defendant had five previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said the defendant had an ongoing issue with alcohol.
Judge Kevin Kilrane put the charge of being drunk and a danger to himself and others back to June 21.
Probation Act for 35-year-old in ‘domestic matter’
A Dublin resident who got involved in a “domestic incident” in Cranmore was given the Probation Act at Sligo District Court. Thirty-five-year-old Eric Newman, Carraig Court, City West, Tallaght, Dublin, was charged with being drunk and a danger to himself and others and using threatening and abusive behaviour at Geldof Drive on January 2.
Sergeant Derek Butler said gardaí got reports of two men in an altercation at Geldof Drive on January 2. When gardaí arrived at the house, the defendant was abusive and told them to get out of the house.
There was a strong smell of drink from him and called them a “crowd of c***s” on a number of occasions. The defendant said it was a family argument and denied calling gardaí c***s, saying that was a lie.
He had nothing against the gardaí, and he had relatives in the force.
The defendant was an employee of Dublin City Council, the court heard. In applying the Probation Act, Judge Kevin Kilrane said it was a “domestic matter”.
Man on charges of rape and false imprisonment
A man has been returned for trial to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on charges of rape and false imprisonment.
The man is charged with raping a woman on September 15, 2018, and falsely imprisoning another woman the following day.
Both alleged offences happened at a location in Co. Sligo.
A garda gave evidence of serving the book of evidence on the defendant, who was in court.
Defence solicitor Séamus Monaghan asked for a copy of the DVD of the garda interview.
The defendant was remanded on continuing bail on a number of conditions.
He was to live at a named address, give his mobile phone to gardaí, and sign on at a named garda station between 9am and 9pm from Monday to Saturday. He is not to leave the State and is stay out of County Sligo except for court-related business. And he was to have no contact with any witnesses.
Woman charged with assault in High Street shop
A young woman appeared at the district court last Thursday charged with assaulting and causing harm to another woman in a Sligo shop. Twenty-year-old Megan Scanlon of Citygate Apartments, Sligo, is charged with assaulting Paulina Furmanczyk at Armstrong’s Cash Savers, High Street, on January 16. Garda James Conneely gave evidence of the arrest charge and caution of the defendant. The garda said he arrested the defendant at 6.55pm on Saturday, January 16, and then brought her to Ballymote Garda Station, where she was later charged.
The defendant, who was represented by solicitor Gerry McGovern, made no comment.
Sergeant Derek Butler said the matter might not go ahead in the district court. He said a file was being prepared for the DPP.
The case was put back to April 29 for DPP directions.
Garda Conneely asked that a condition of her release on bail was to “stay away from the alleged injured party, as this is a small town”.
She was also to stay away from any State witnesses and the shop where the alleged assault took place.
The slightly built defendant was dressed in a black jacket, black trousers and had a black bag on her back and wore a dark spotted white mask. She sat at the back of the court with a man, who was wearing a mask and dressed in black during the three-minute hearing.
The defendant was released on her own bail bond of €100 until April 29.
Fermanagh man drove without care or consideration
A Co. Fermanagh native has been found guilty of driving without due care or consideration at Sligo District Court.
The court was told that Cathal Crudden, Drumharvey, Irvinestown, caused €1,000 of damage when he reversed his black Land Rover into a black van at Horkan’s garden centre, Bundoran Road, on June 29, 2019. A garda gave evidence of seeing CCTV of the incident. He told the court that both drivers had exchanged details.
He issued a fixed penalty notice to the defendant, which was not paid. Judge Kevin Kilrane fined the defendant, who was not in court and had no previous convictions, €200.
Two-year driving ban for Collooney drink driver, 40
A Collooney resident has been fined and banned after he pleaded guilty to a charge of drink driving at Sligo District Court.
Forty-year-old Talal Hadri, Abhainn Mor, Collooney, pleaded guilty to the offence that happened at Main Street, Collooney, on July 14 last year. The defendant had no previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said the defendant was the father of young children and losing his licence would affect him.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said the defendant was unlucky as a slightly lower reading would have meant just a year’s driving ban.
The judge fined the defendant €100 and banned him from driving for two years.
Offaly man, 19, had MDMA at the Brewery in Sligo
A young Co. Offaly native who was caught with drugs in Sligo has been given the Probation Act at Sligo District Court.
Nineteen-year-old Alex Berry, Clooncollig, Tullamore, pleaded guilty to possession of MDMA at the Brewery, Sligo, on November 11, 2019. Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern said it was the young man’s first offence.