Mother and son in violent fracas

May 2008

WICKLOW Gardai had to call for assistance from Bray, Arklow and Greystones over the weekend after a row on the street threatened to spiral out of control.

A mother and son were refused permission to enter a local premises and took grave exception to the refusal. Their furious reaction led to an outbreak of public disorder on Marlton Road in the early hours of Saturday morning.

With their resources already spread thing, the Wicklow station had to call for backup after bystanders started getting involved. A number of revellers still out from Friday night refused to leave the scene despite orders to do so from the gardaí. Eventually the mother and son were arrested but still continued to behave violently back at Wicklow Garda Station.

A couple of officers received minor injuries after being assaulted as they attempted to make arrests.

The back-up call was a precautionary measure and proved to be the right response as a large crowd started gathering as the incident unfolded. Now the Wicklow gardaí have warned people they face arrest if they refuse to comply with the directions of an officer.

‘When the gardaí are carrying out an arrest in a volatile situation then anyone interfering is making an offence. If people are directed to leave the scene and refuse to do so then they are liable for arrest as well,’ says a garda spokesperson.

A file is currently being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution into the matter.