Two brothers received jail sentences of six months and four months respectively at Carrickmacross District Court, Co Monaghan, yesterday arising from an incident in which a garda was bitten on the hand and a female colleague had "chunks of hair" pulled from her head.
Arthur Finnegan (32), and Robbie Finnegan (27), Drummond Otra, Carrickmacross, pleaded not guilty to assault and public order offences on June 5th, 2003.
Arthur Finnegan was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for assaulting Garda David Tiernan, who said he had bitten him on the hand as he attempted to make an arrest. Robbie Finnegan was sentenced to four months for an assault on Garda Edel Bracken.
Judge Flann Brennan described the brothers as "very cowardly individuals". He fixed recognisances for an appeal at €100 for each brother.
Garda Bracken told the court that while in the patrol car she observed some men on the street, and one appeared to be lying on the ground near the Ulster Bank in Carrickmacross.
When Garda Tiernan drove towards the men and stopped the car, they began shouting abuse and told the gardaí to "f*** off".
Both became very abusive, she said. The gardaí withdrew and collected a colleague on foot patrol. When the Garda car later stopped, the two brothers resumed their abuse and Robbie Finnegan kicked the vehicle.
Garda Bracken described their efforts to arrest the two and said that Robert Finnegan pulled off a garda's tie and also pulled her by the hair.
He also tried to pull a jumper over her head.
Arthur Finnegan had also to be restrained and was behaving in a very violent manner.
Cross-examined by defence counsel, Mr Roderick O'Hanlon SC, Garda Bracken agreed that at the outset Garda Tiernan had spoken to the brothers, who appeared to have drink taken, and asked them to calm down.
Garda Bracken later learned one of the accused had been at a hospital earlier where his second child had been born.
Garda Bracken denied that any of the gardaí had made a comment to the brothers about being "unable to hold their drink".
Garda Tiernan said the men appeared to be intoxicated and had ignored his earlier request on the night to go home.