An off-duty garda – who has represented Roscommon at senior intercounty football level – was “exceptionally intoxicated” when he assaulted a hotel porter late at night in Ennis, a court has heard.
At Ennis District Court, Roscommon man Caoileann Fitzmaurice (31), who is stationed at Pearse Street Garda station in Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting Olufegun Lawal at the Queen’s Hotel, Abbey Street, Ennis in Co Clare on January 21st, 2023.
In the prosecution against Mr Fitzmaurice of Colliers Avenue, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, taken by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, Sarah Jane Comerford outlined the facts in the case to the court.
Ms Comerford said on January 21st, 2023, Mr Fitzmaurice, who was off-duty on the night, was out with friends in Ennis and they went to the Queen’s Hotel.
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Ms Comerford said: “He was exceptionally intoxicated and in a confused state and was brought back by friends for the purpose of putting him to bed.
“But they left him in the care of hotel porter, Mr Lawal, and asked Mr Lawal to bring him up to his room.”
Ms Comerford said: “Unfortunately Garda Fitzmaurice was in such an intoxicated state that he started walking around the hotel. He was very disoriented – he dropped the key to his hotel room and Mr Lawal, who was at all times trying to assist him, picked up the key and at that point, Garda Fitzmaurice struck him two times – once in the nose and once in the left eye and Mr Lawal caught the third blow.
She said: “Mr Lawal suffered a bloody nose and he did get some medical attention later that morning.
“The incident spilled out on to the street, where a witness saw Mr Fitzmaurice holding on to Mr Lawal and kicking out. The incident was also captured on CCTV footage.”
Mr Lawal was present in court and Ms Comerford said that “he has declined to give a victim-impact statement and is very happy with the guilty plea”.
Ms Comerford said the guilty plea in the case was indicated last week and Judge Alec Gabbett said it was a very early plea.
On behalf of Mr Fitzmaurice, who was also present in court, Cian Kelly told the court that what occurred on the night “was completely out of character” for Mr Fitzmaurice.
He said: “There was no attempt at any stage during the course of the whole thing by Mr Fitzmaurice to invoke his status as a member of An Garda Síochána.”
Mr Kelly asked the judge not to convict his client and said Mr Fitzmaurice had offered €5,000 in compensation to Mr Lawal.
He sad that prior to the Ennis incident Mr Fitzmaurice was a garda on beat patrol and is now on Garda office duties.
Mr Kelly said his client “has never had an incident at work and has no previous convictions of any kind”.
Mr Kelly said Mr Fitzmaurice “is very apologetic”.
He said Mr Fitzmaurice is engaged to be married this year and is heavily involved in GAA where he is captain of local senior football team, Michael Glaveys, in Roscommon.
Ms Comerford said Mr Lawal had stated he would accept the offer of €5,000 compensation.
The judge said he noted the offer of €5,000 compensation, adjourned the case to June 25th for finalisation and ordered a probation report on Mr Fitzmaurice for the adjourned court date.
