STOLETAXI DASHCAM

A 20-year-old man who ripped a dashcam from a taxi has had a number of charges arising from the incident struck out after he paid over €350 compensation.

Gerard Gallagher, 10 Ballynamona Road, Dromintee, pleaded guilty to stealing a dashcam at Linenhall Street and being intoxicated in a public place and engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at Applegreen, Newry Road, on 3 September last.

Sgt Fintan McGroder gave evidence that at 2am at Applegreen two men were intoxicated.

The defendant was unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred and he was abusive to gardaí at the scene.

Officers were then approached by a taxi driver who told them Gallagher had refused to get out of his car. He ripped out the dashcam and took it away. It wasn’t recovered.

Solicitor Paul Tiernan said his client was very drunk on the night and had no recollection of what occurred.

He comes from a good family background and is of previous good character.

Gallagher intends to go to New Zealand on 4 October to work for six months and a conviction will have an adverse effect on those plans.

He offers apologies and has compensation for the dashcam and the inconvenience caused to the taxi driver, Mr Tiernan continued.

Previously, James McDonagh, 31 College Heights, Hoey’s Lane, pleaded guilty to charges arising out of an incident at his address and apologised.

He admitted assaulting Gda Kevin Begley, and producing a claw hammer while appearing to be about to commit an assault, as well as being intoxicated in a public place and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, at 31 College Heights on 1 October, 2017.

After hearing evidence last week Judge Jones said if he was dealing with this, the defendant ‘would go straight to prison without hesitation’.

However, he said he would give McDonagh a chance and put the matter back to 21 November for Judge Coughlan to finalise.

Sgt McGroder told the court a man was reported as shouting at the front door of the house in question.

When gardaí arrived, he put the hammer above his head and told officers not to come anywhere near him.

He refused to put the hammer down and threatened to hit the guards as he again told them to stay away.

McDonagh exited the house and was disarmed. There was a strong smell of drink from him. appear at Drogheda court on 26 January last.

Solicitor Conor MacGuill said the defendant had a tablet addiction and recently completed a treatment course.

She has eight previous convictions, including one for theft, but nothing since 2013, he added, and has €30 in court.