Galway Advertiser 2003/2003_10_16/GA_16102003_E1_028.pdf 

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Drunken Ballinasloe man found with knife in Oranmore
A 20-years-old Ballinasloe m a n who was arrested for being d r u n k in O r a n m o r e village, was carrying a knife when searched by a garda, Galway District Court heard this week. Keith Stephens, 109 Hymany Park, Ballinasloe, Galway, pleaded guilty to both offences. Garda Martin Walsh said he got a report of two men misbehaving in the village at around 10.30 pm and he found Stephens drinking a can of beer outside Supermac's. He was drunk and he told Garda Walsh he was from Ballinasloe and had no way home. The manager of a filling station across the road told Garda Walsh that Stephens had been involved in an incident in his shop moments before. Garda Walsh arrested Stephens for his own safety and when he took him to the Garda Station and searched him, he found a knife in his pocket. Stephens told him he hadn't known he had a knife on him. Defence solicitor, Sean Acton, said his client had developed a drink problem in the last two years because his family had been going through an extremely traumatic time following a trial in the Central Criminal Court involving "the most serious charge there is." Mr Acton said he did not

Ballybane m a n sent to prison for racist remark
A man who made a racist remark to a Romanian employee at a Galway filling station was sentenced to two months in prison at Galway District Court this week. judge warned that any time anyone comes before his court and is guilty of a similar offence he or she would be going to prison. "This is outrageous and there is no way such racist remarks can be tolerated," he said, before imposing the two month sentence. Defence solicitor, Sean Acton, said his client was pleading to a breach of the peace and was deeply ashamed for what transpired on the night. He also wanted to apologise in open court to the shop assistant. He said Fallon- was not a racist but he would now have to face the social stigma and would be branded a racist because of one incident where he overreacted. Fallon, a father of two children, had no previous convictions and had never been in trouble before, Mr Acton added. "I'm told some of the nicest people in the world are racists. The courts cannot tolerate it. This is a public order offence in the most extreme. "I don't like sending people to prison, but I have to do it this time. I'm not going to allow him or anyone cast aspersions on people just because of their nationalities. It's outrageous," Judge Gibbons added.

Westside p u b blames mothers for its late night drinking crux
Mothers were blamed for after h o u r s d r i n k i n g , by t h e m a n a g e m e n t of o n e pub in the city which was prosecuted for breaching the licensing laws at Galway District Court this week. Millrous Ltd, trading as Doc Watson's, in Westside, Galway, was inspected by Sergeant Brendan Carroll at 12.55am on March 31 last. He told the court it was Sunday night and closing time would have been 11pm. Instead, he found at least 40 people on the premises at nearly lam. Some of them were drinking and he observed a lot of drink still on the tables. No attempt was being made to clear the premises. Sergeant Carroll said the person in charge told him it had been Mother's Day and he had difficulty getting people, including mothers with their families, to leave the premises. Judge Canal G i b b o n s said management had not been making much of an effort to clear tht mothers before he fined t h e p u b 150.

Sentencing Dara Fallon (25), Castle Park, Ballybane, want to elaborate further Galway, Judge Conal Gibbons said people who make racist, but his client had developed disparaging remarks deserve to go to prison. a drink problem as a result The court heard Fallon had been at a wedding on of what happened but was September 21 last and at around 3 am the following now seeking counselling for morning he went to his local Esso filling station in his alcohol addiction. Renmore, Galway, to buy a bottle of wine. The Romanian He said Stephens had not shop assistant told him he could not sell him liquor at that been brandishing the knife hour of the morning. Fallon became abusive and called and it had only been him a "f**king' Romanian." Garda Shaun Durkan said he discovered during a routine was called to the scene. He said Fallon had made a racist garda search. remark and was arrested for a breach of the peace. Judge Conal Gibbons Judge Gibbons said he took a very dim view of people remanded Stephens on who made racist remarks. He said Fallon had made a continuing bail for 12 disparaging and insulting remark to the shop assistant months and indicated he because of his nationality. "Irish people suffered for years would give him the benefit abroad from disparaging remarks being made about them of the Probation Act next and even up to this day they suffer such remarks in just the October if he remained out same way as the accused has treated this Romanian," the of trouble in the meantime. judge said. Judge Gibbons said Fallon had added to Irish society's 'collective shame' as a result of his racist remark. The

Cowboy' taxi driver who refused fare to Monivea told to consider other career options
A taxi driver who refused to bring two women on a 16-mile journey was described as a 'cowboy' by Judge Conal Gibbons and advised to consider other career options, when he appeared before Galway District Court this week. Dean Toye, Clybaun Road, Knocknacarra. Galway, pleaded guilty to failing to carry the passengers in his taxi having being hired by them, on January 3 last, contrary to Article 52 ( I ) of the Road Traffic ( P S V ) Regulations. 1963. He also pleaded guilty to not complying with the r e a s o n a b l e requirements of the passengers while driving a public service vehicle and plying for trade on the same occasion, contrary to Section 52 (4) of the same regulations. Sergeant Tony M c H u g h . PSV inspector at Galway Garda Station, gave evidence that two young women came out of a city centre night club on January 3 last at 2 am and got into Toye's taxi. They asked him to bring them to Monivea, a village about 16 miles from Galway city. Toye refused to bring them. He said he was tired and would only go to Knocknacarra, near where he lived. He then took the women, without charge, around the block in his taxi to the taxi rank at Eyre Square and told them to get another taxi home. Defence solicitor, Jarlath Mclnergey said his client Was very tired at the time and only wanted a fare he could take on his way home to k:i. vkiidc.irr.i He didn't want to go to Monivea because he considered it too far away at that hour of the night. He added that his client had financial difficulties. Judge Gibbons said he w a s n ' t surprised to hear that. He wondered what Toye was doing plying for trade if he was not going to take a fare. Taxis, the judge said, perfomrSi social function, particularly late at night. Toye, he said, could not have itTjoth ways. He had been plying for trade and two women wanted to hire him. Inspector Tony O ' D o n n e l l said Toye had a previous conviction for a similar offence in 1996 and two Public Order convictions in 2000. Judge Gibbons said Toye should not be driving a taxi at all. "He is masquerading as a taxi driver but he's just a cowboy. I think he is a disgrace. Who does he think he is? He should not be driving a taxi at all. He should consider other career options," Judge Gibbons said. He then convicted and fined Toye 3 0 0 for the first offence and directed him to pay 1 0 0 to each of the women passengers who had travelled from Dublin for the case. Judge Gibbons also convicted Toye of the second offence and fined him 3 0 0 . "It is a serious issue of whether or not he should be plying for trade. This was insulting behaviour and he should be put off the road," the judge said.

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Clarinbridge man who got sick in widow's home ordered to pay compensation
A d r u n k e n youth w h o vomited in t h e hallway of a terrified widow at 5am as he tried to get into her house, w a s o r d e r e d t o p a y t h e w o m a n 1,050 in w i t n e s s expenses and compensation, when he appeared before Galway District Court this week. Colin Hannify ( 2 0 ) , Ballinacourty Hill, Clarenbridge, a soffit and fascia fitter, pleaded guilty to being drunk in the early hours of May 11 last outside Ann Halloran's house in Gurraune Upper, Oranmore. Garda Pat Crowe said Hannify was very drunk when he mistakenly called to the wrong house and attempted to get in. Mrs Halloran was in the house alone with her three young children at the time and she was terrified by the ordeal. Hannify, the garda said, vomited in a corridor of the woman's house. Judge Conal Gibbons said Hannify had been a "drunken buffoon" and he asked if he had cleaned up after himself. The garda said he had not, but he had called back to the woman two days later to apologise for his behaviour. Mrs Halloran was visibly upset in court when she recalled the night. She said she had been terrified out of her wits in her own home. She said that while the accused had come to apologise to her she felt it could happen again. Judge Gibbons said it had been an outrageous incident in that the woman had to suffer the indignity of Hannify depositing what he deposited in her home. He ordered the accused to pay the woman 5 0 0 before November 10 and if he did that he would apply the Probation Act, because Hannify had expressed remorse and was not the worst to come before the courts. The woman also claimed 5 5 0 witness expenses and Judge Gibbons ordered Hannify to pay that also.