Fighting teen had to be pepper-sprayed by Gardaí

A 19-year-old had to be pepper-sprayed by Gardaí when they couldn’t break up a fight between him and another man in Ballytivnan last September.

Gardaí first got reports of people fighting at Elm Gardens, Ballytivnan at 10.30pm on 19 th September.

When they went to the scene, they found two men fighting, one of whom was Bernie Ward who lived in Elm Gardens.

Sergeant Derek Butler told Judge Kilrane that one Garda shouted at Ward to stop fighting and warned him they would use pepper-spray if he didn’t stop fighting.

Ward ignored the warning and the pepper spray was deployed.

He was “intoxicated” and subsequently arrested and brought to a Garda station.

Ward has two previous convictions for theft from July 2017.

He pleaded guilty to a Public Order charge last Thursday and handed ¤150 of a previous fine of ¤300 into the court.

Judge Kilrane adjourned the case to 29 th November to allow the remaining ¤150 be paid.