Sent to prison after calling care assistant a paedophile

A 36-year-old father was given a 2-month prison sentence at Sligo District Court on Thursday after calling a school care-assistant a paedophile in public.

Judge Kevin Kilrane told Collins Joseph, 36, of Rathbraughan Park, Ballytivnan that he took this case very seriously and that these type of accusations had to be met with a prison sentence.

Inspector Donal Sweeney told the court the injured party was in Tesco when Joseph, who he knew, began loudly calling him a paedophile a number of times.

The injured party went to the security desk k where he was advised to go to gardaí.

He waited until Joseph left the shop before e contacting gardaí.

He said to gardaí that nothing like this had ever happened to him before.

They subsequently visiting the home of Joseph where he admitted calling the man a paedophile in Tesco the previous day.

Mr Tom MacSharry solicitor (defending) said his client was aware that is was a very serious charge and he understood the gravity of the situation that he is in.

Judge Kevin Kilrane said that the case was a very serious one. He said the school care assistant aged in his thirties was accused of being a paedophile several times by the defendant.

He said it was an extremely serious thing to say to say to a school care-assistant with not a shred of proof.

The judge said that these type of accusations must be met with a prison sentence and imposed a 2-month prison sentence.

He said that was not considering suspending it as he said Joseph showed no remorse whatsoever and he was given an opportunity to apologise to the injured party but didn’t.

He told Mr MacSharry he did everything he could for his client but Joseph was arrogant and showed no form of remorse in saying what he said, added the Judge.