Three Co Louth men whose visit to the Oasis concert in Marley Park in Dublin in 2005 has already cost them almost €16,000 in fines and are to carry out community service in lieu of prison sentences.
The three Clogherhead men's offending at the July 16th concert resulted in a garda's front teeth being knocked out and use of abusive language when a second garda saw one of the men buy an ecstasy tablet from a dealer. Both gardaí were in plain clothes at the time.
Patrick McGuigan (32), of Harbour Road, pleaded guilty to assault causing Garda Richard Noonan harm; Paul Aspell (35), of Gort Uaine, pleaded guilty to obstructing two gardaí during the drug search; and Neville Aspell (27), of O'Donnell Park, pleaded guilty to possession of ecstasy and obstructing a garda.
Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last October gave McGuigan a three-year suspended sentence, fined him €2,000 and ordered that he pay €10,000 he had in court to Garda Noonan as a token of his remorse. She imposed six-month suspended sentences on the Aspells, fined them €500 each and directed them to hand over €2,000 to Garda Noonan. She also fined Neville Aspell €800 for drugs possession.
Judge Ryan also directed at the previous hearing that they be assessed for community service in lieu of the prison sentences and has now confirmed 240 hours for McGuigan and 180 hours each for the Aspells.
Judge Ryan said previously that she accepted all three had good jobs. McGuigan works as an accountant, Paul Aspell is a technician with Meath County Council and Neville Aspell is an Iarnród Éireann employee.
She said the three had expressed their remorse for their actions and they had not come to the attention of gardaí since but added that McGuigan, who has three previous convictions, and Paul Aspell, who has one previous conviction for assault, were given chances by the courts in the past.