For fire engine after incident at car park

Man pays for damage

A 32 year- old man came up with € 1,175 for damage he caused to a fire engine when he fired a bottle at it when it was on a call out to put out a caravan fire at a city centre car park.

Denis McGinley of Connaughton Road Car Park was prepared to admit a charge of damaging the fire engine’s side panel and driver’s window, Sligo District Court was told.

He was also charged with assaulting a fireman on September 1st last year and with offences under the Public Order Act. Mr Pat O’Sullivan BL ( defending) said the defendant was prepared to plead to damaging the fire engine but not to the assault charge. Outlining the facts of the case to Judge Cormac Dunn, Inspector Donal Sweeney said it was alleged a bottle struck the window and flew into the fire engine after smashing the window which sent shards of glass into the cabin.

One fireman was brought to hospital as a precaution to ensure tht no glass had got into his eye.

Mr O’Sullivan handed in € 1,175 to court to pay for the damage to the fire engine. Judge Dunne said that while he would accept the money he would have to adjourn the case for hearing the assault aspect but that he intended keeping all matters together. Inspector Sweeney said it wouldn’t take that long to hear the case. Judge Dunne adjourned the case to May 4th for hearing.