Galway Advertiser 2003/2003_12_11/GA_1112_E1_040.pdf 

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N E W S

IN THE COURTS

December 11 2003

Boy (14) driving stolen cars in a `drunken stupor' court hears
A 14 years old boy with learning and behavioural problems who has been involved in crime since the age of seven, has been further remanded in custody to a children's detention centre, for yet another psychological assessment. The boy, who suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, has been arrested by 23 gardai and has committed 80 offences over the last seven years, involving the theft of cars, burglary, criminal damage, dangerous driving, assault, robbery, driving without insurance, larceny, possession of stolen property, and failing to comply with gardai. Inspector Tony O'Donnell told Galway District Court this week that the gardai were very concerned for the youth's safety and that of the public. He said he was left with no option but to oppose any application for bail, because the accused had continued to commit crime while on bail in the past. In more recent years the teenager has been found driving stolen cars "in a drunken stupor" from drink and drugs by gardai while out on bail, and has been in breach of curfews imposed on numerous occasions by Galway District Court, Inspector Tony O'Donnell said. The boy has been held on remand since September 30 at Oberstown Detention Centre for Young Offenders because he breached bail conditions set in August. Attempts by the Western Health Board in the interim to get the Brothers of Charity to provide residential care for the boy due to his mental disabilities, have failed. According to John Ross, childcare worker with the health board, the Brothers of Charity say they do not have the funding to provide services for the boy's special educational and behavioural needs. "It is a sad indictment of the care services that a youngster with disabilities such as his does not have the care he is entitled to. He requires specialist residential care which does not exist, " Mr Ross said. Mr Ross said the Brothers of Charity receive funding for people with learning disabilities and this teenager clearly had such a disability. The teenager, he added, had a low level of understanding and a short attention span. A psychological report from Oberstown recommended the accused be released for Christmas, but Inspector Tony O'Donnell objected to this, stating he had a genuine fear the youth would kill himself, through alcohol or drug abuse, or kill himself or others while driving stolen cars. Judge Leo Malone said taking cars was very serious and he was concerned that the youth or members of the public could be killed or seriously injured. The judge remanded the youth in custody until December 22, for an up-to-date psychological report and a further assessment of his hearing and behavioural difficulties.

Man charged with burglary at elderly Barna woman's home
An East European man who is charged with aggravated burglary at an elderly woman's home in Barna last month, was remanded in custody when he appeared before Galway District Court this week. Jiri Vojik, of no fixed abode, is charged with burglary at the woman's home in Freeport, Barna, on November 9 last, while having a knife in his possession. Inspector Tony O'Donnell said gardai were still awaiting the directions of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the matter and he applied to have the accused further remanded in custody. Judge Leo Malone remanded the accused in custody to appear before the court again on December 22.

Prison sentence for Ballybrit man's `blatant disregard for law'
A Ballybrit man was sentenced to three months in prison, for what was described by a judge as "a blatant disregard for the laws of the land", following another conviction for driving without insurance Pat Barrett, Bay 4, Doughiska, Ballybrit, Galway, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving at Ballybane, on May 28 last. A breath test showed a reading of 75 micrograms of alcohol per 100 mls of breath. The accused was not insured to drive at the time. Inspector Tony O'Donnell told Galway District Court the accused had 38 previous convictions, stretching back to the early 1990s for burglary, assault, larceny, driving without insurance and numerous other road traffic offences. Defence solicitor Valerie Corcoran, said her client was currently serving a nine-month sentence and was married with six children, ranging in age from eight years down to nine months. Judge Leo Malone said Barrett had displayed a blatant disregard for the laws of the land. He fined him 500 for drunken driving, payable immediately or else 45 days in prison in default. He disqualified him from driving for five years also on that charge. The judge sentenced Barrett to three months in prison for driving without insurance and disqualified him for five years. He also fined him 200 for not having a driving licence and directed he serve 15 days in prison if that fine was not paid. Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.

Men remanded in connection with Salthill assault on Chinese man
Three Chinese men who were arrested in connection with a serious assault on another Chinese man in Salthill on November 30, have been further remanded in custody for two weeks. Ning Qi (26), 7 Rockville Apartments, Salthill; Tao Liu (26), no fixed abode; and Zun Wang (27), c/o Eyre Square Hotel, Eyre Square, Galway, are all charged with assaulting Peng Li, at Quincentennial Drive, Salthill, causing him harm. All three have been held in custody since their arrest on November 30. Detective Sergeant Sean O'Grady told Galway District Court this week that Zun Wang would not co-operate with efforts to identify him. Detective O'Grady said the accused would not even speak to his own solicitor before the court hearing. Sergeant O'Grady said he had sent fingerprints from the other two suspects to Interpol for identification and was still awaiting results. The third man refused to speak to anyone and would not allow his fingerprints to be taken. He said he only knew him by the name of Zun Wang because documents were found on him to that effect when he was arrested. Judge Leo Malone remanded all three in custody to appear before the court again on December 22.

Menlo man charged with fraud remanded on bail
A 39 years old businessman who is charged with obtaining almost 27,000 worth of building materials from various builders' providers businesses in and around Galway city using invalid cheques, was further remanded on continuing bail when he appeared before Galway District Court this week. Peter Corcoran, Monument Road, Menlo, Galway, is charged with obtaining building materials valued at 13,299, from Coen's Holdings Ltd, Deerpark Industrial Estate, Oranmore, by pretending a cheque drawn on an ACC Business Banking account for 10,414, was valid, on October 19, 2001. He is further charged with obtaining 4,762 worth of tiles, from Classic Tiles, Headford Road, Galway, using a backdated cheque on September 1, 2002; with obtaining bathroom fittings from Bathroom World, Tuam Road, Galway, worth 1,100 using another invalid cheque, with obtaining by deception building materials, total value 3,771 using three more invalid cheques at Higgins' builders' providers, Shantalla, Galway, on August 20, 2002, and again at the same premises on July 23 did obtain 463 worth of building materials using the same method. Corcoran was also charged with obtaining by deception two loads of concrete and sand valued at 1,270 from Cannon Concrete, Esker, Athenry, on November 6, 2001 by deception. Inspector Tony O'Donnell said he was still awaiting the directions of the DPP in the case. Judge Leo Malone agreed to adjourn the matter to January 12, to await the DPP's directions.

Lovers' tiff led to drink driving conviction for Ballybane man
A Ballybane man who had just split up with his girlfriend found himself in even more trouble when his car collided with the side of a Garda patrol car as he was stopped on suspicion of drunken driving, Galway District Court heard this week. Ray O'Grady, 22 Rahylin Glebe, Ballybane, was observed driving erratically by gardai near his home on February 10 last. He tried to stop his car but lost control as he did so and struck the side of the Garda patrol car. A breath specimen showed a reading of 83 micrograms of alcohol per 100 mls of breath. The court heard O'Grady had been out drinking with his girlfriend that night but when they returned to her house they had a row and she put all of his belongings into his car and told him to leave. He had not driven the car before because he could not afford insurance, but on the night he decided to drive home and was subsequently arrested. Judge Leo Malone fined O'Grady 350 and disqualified him from driving for two years for drunken driving. He fined him 350 and disqualified him for one year for driving without insurance and imposed a further 130 penalty for careless driving.

Insurance quote was three times price of car, court told
A young Tuam man who bought a car for 2,000 but was quoted 6,500 to insure it, was convicted of driving without insurance at Galway District Court. Stuart Henry, Cloghans, Tuam, was stopped by gardai at Headford Road, Galway, on September 4 last when the offence was detected. Defence solicitor, Cathy McDarby, said her client had bought a car for 2,000 and while he didn't know anything about the engine capacity, he thought he would get insurance for around 500. He got a quote for 6,500 which was well out of his reach and took a chance by driving without insurance at the time, she said. The car is now gone and the young man's father drives him to work, she added. Judge Leo Malone fined Henry 200 and disqualified him from driving for one year.