Galway Advertiser 2002/2002_03_14/GA_14032002_E1_030.pdf 

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In t h e c o u r t s
A Bohermore man who was arrested on foot of two outstanding bench warrants was remanded in custody with consent to bail, when he appeared before Galwa' District Court this week.

American sent Man gets prison Bohermore m n a sentence for arrested on f o ot for trial on eight insurance of bench w ra t ar ns O'Shaughnessy charges manslaughter charge
A 26-years-old father of five who is currently serving a sentence for driving without insurance, was given a further prison sentence for similar offences at Galway District Court this week. without insurance, dating back to 1995. Defending solicitor, Sean O ' C a r r o l l , said his client w a s m a r r i e d with five children all under the age of five. On most of t h e o c c a s i o n s he w a s stopped by gardai he was bringing or collecting his young children from school. He was A 25-v ears-old A m e r i c a n m u s i c i a n w h o i s c h a r g e d w i t h the m a n s l a u g h t e r of G a l w a y city m a n , M a l c o l m O ' S h a u g h n e s s y i n 1 9 9 8 , has b e e n r e t u r n e d for trial to next m o n t h ' s sitting o f G a l w a y Circuit C r i m i n a l C o u r t . Miguel Alcanter (25), with an address at 3450, 20th Street, Highland, C a l i f o r n i a , is c h a r g e d with the manslaughter of Malcolm O'Shaughnessy at William Street West on A u g u s t 1, 1 9 9 8 , a n d with being in possession of a knife with intent to inflict serious injury on the same occasion. He a p p e a r e d before Galway District Court this week where h e w a s served with the b o o k of evidence and sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court on April 9. Alcanter w a s granted o n e j u n i o r and one senior counsel under the Free Legal Aid Scheme by Judge Conal Gibbons. John Corcoran, 60 Corrach Bui, Rahoon, G a l w a y , w a s d u e for release from prison this week but instead will now be s e r v i n g a further six months, after being convicted of eight counts of driving without insurance on various dates last December and January. Francis Sweeney, 19 Liam Mellowes Terrace, Bohermore, was arrested by Garda Peter McGuinness last Sunday and held in custody until Monday's court sitting. Garda McGuinness applied to the court to have Sweeney remanded in custody because Sweeney had failed to turn up in court on two previous occasions to answer charges relating to public order offences. Sweeney was charged with a breach of the peace at Ball Alley Lane, Galway, on October 5, 1999, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest later that same month when he failed to appear in court. He was further charged with a breach of the peace and being drunk in public at Woodquay, Galway, on August 27, 2000. He failed to appear in court on these charges in September, 2000 and a second bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

A trainee c h e f w h o h a s j u s t qualified and h o p e s to g o t o w o r k in t h e States, will h a v e t w o public o r d e r c h a r g e s d i s m i s s e d if h e d o n a t e s 7 5 0 to charity I F THT> I I A V t C I V m . n , in! t h e n e x F six N I IoN LtLh.s . David Donnellan, who has just Finished his final exams at G M I T and is a native of L i s d o o n v a r n a . Co Clare, was out celebrating in Galway city when he got involved in an altercation with Gardai at the door of a nightclub and refused to eo awav w t w n Inspector Tony O ' D o n n e l l said g a r d a i were dealing with another incident when Donnellan began to abuse them and the doormen. He had to be arrested when he refused to go away. Defending solicitor, Adrian MacLynn, said his client had too much to d r i n k and c o u l d not remember w h a t had happened. Donnellan said he went to the Garda Station twice

Plumber caused Chef to have charges blockage on city dismissed if he makes Bench warrant street, court charity payment hears issued for city man who absconded
He was charged with being drunk in public and to a p o l o g i s e for his behaviour on the night. Judge Conal Gibbons said he was aware that Donnellan's career might take him out of the jurisdiction and he did not want to jeopardise that. He ordered Donnellan to pay 7 5 0 to charity and adjourned the matter for six months, indicating that the charges would be dismissed if the money had been paid over in the meantime. A b e n c h w a r r a n t w a s issued at G a l w a y District C o u r t this week for the arrest of a m a n w h o absconded while on temporary release from prison. Mark Rush, 4 New Docks, Galway. failed to appear before the court this week charged with damaging property at Merchant's Road, Galway. on April 28,2000. Inspector Tony O'Donnell said Rush had been serving a sentence in relation to other matters but absconded while on temporary release. He applied for a bench warrant and this was granted by Judge Conal Gibbons. A n apprentice p l u m b e r blocked traffic when he got involved in a dispute with another m a n in the middle of a busy G a l w a y city street, t h e local court heard this week. Philip Jordan ( 2 0 ) , 105 Ballinfoyle Park, Headford Road, Galway, a d m i t t e d b e i n g drunk and a danger to himself and others at Eyre Street, Galway, at 11.45 pm on February 2 last. Gardai c a m e on the defendant and the other man in the middle of the street when they noticed traffic had come to a standstill. D e f e n d i n g solicitor, B e n e n F a h y said his c l i e n t w a s walking on the path w h e n a man pulled him by the hood o f h i s j a c k e t . He got a n n o y e d and a row ensued. H e s a i d it was very unlikely his client would e v e r c o m e before the court again. Judge Conal Gibbons accepted this and fined Jordan 5 0 for being drunk in public and dismissed a more serious charge involving * breach of the peace.

Garda Gerry Sweeney had stopped Corcoran on December 5, 6, twice on Dec 14, 15, and again on J a n u a r y 19. On e a c h occasion Corcoran admitted not having insurance. He was stopped on two other separate occasions by G a r d a Muiris Quinn and made the same admission to him. The court heard Corcoran has 20 previous c o n v i c t i o n s for d r i v i n g

unemployed and was not in a p o s i t i o n t o g e t insurance. Judge Conal Gibbons said it w a s unbelievable that Corcoran should drive continuously without i n s u r a n c e a n d in such a blatant manner. He sentenced him to six months in prison, to run consecutively to his c u r r e n t s e n t e n c e and d i s q u a l i f i e d h i m from driving for 15 years.

Sweeney told the court Galway was his home and he would not leave the jurisdiction if given bail. He said he knew nothing about the two bench warrants or the charges and was already on bail in relation to other offences and bad not left the jurisdiction. Judge Conal Gibbons remanded him in custody with consent to bail, on his own surety of 1,800, and one independent surety of 2,100, on condition that he sign on daily at Galway Garda Station.

so by agarda.