Two drunken brothers who attacked Gardai following a series of street scrapes have appeared in court.
Patrick and Sean Molloy from The Curragh in Lismonaghan, Letterkenny appeared before Letterkenny District Court.
The court heard how the men were involved in a series of incidents all brought on by alcohol.
Two Gardai had received injuries as a result of the incidents which all happened when the two young brothers were drunk.
Judge Eiteain Cunningham heard and accepted that Patrick Molloy’s incidents were of a much less serious nature than that of his brother Sean.
Patrick Molloy’s solicitor, Mr Kieran O’Gorman, said his client was pleading to a number of charges.
Garda Inspector Paul Gallagher told the court that on December 23rd, 2020 at 6.45am on the High Road in Letterkenny, Patrick Molloy was found fighting with his brother Sean.
Both were drunk and shouting obscenities.
When Gardai tried to arrest Patrick Molloy, he attempted to punch a Garda breaking his glasses before pepper-spray was used and Molloy taken to Letterkenny Garda station.
On another occasion on October 10th, 2021 at 7.16am at Fortwell, Letterkenny he was arrested under the public Order Act for being drunk and a danger to himself and the public.
Solicitor O’Gorman said his client went to Gardai the following morning and apologised and that the compensation for his glasses had been paid.
“He is 22 and is employed and has two children. All these incidents involved alcohol and this is a good wake-up call for this man,” he said.
Garda Inspector Gallagher outlined the charges against Sean Molloy.
Molloy was on High Road during the incident when his brother Patrick was being arrested.
As his brother was being arrested, Sean Molloy was also shouting obscenities and kicked a Garda in the back before lashing out striking a patrol van.
On another occasion on February 6th, 2021, Gardai found Sean Molloy trying to get into a flat at Burnside Park in Letterkenny and he was drunk and aggressive forcing Gardai to use pepper-spray.
On October 10th, 2021, Molloy was one of two males fighting at Fortwell. Sean Molloy was aggressive and had his top off trying to fight with Gardai and was again arrested.
During another serious incident outside McGettigan’s Hotel in Letterkenny on June 6th, 2021, Sean Molloy was drunk and asked to leave the area.
As he abused Gardai and tried to leave he then struck Garda Sergeant Michael Kilcoyne in the head before kicking him leaving him injured but not seriously.
Another series of incidents involving Sean Molloy during which he was found with cocaine and also another occasion when he struck a passing car with his jack smashing the windscreen and causing €500 of damage were also read out in court.
His solicitor Mr Rory O’Brien said his client had no previous convictions and had not come up through the courts system as a juvenile offender.
He said that he was very much a Jekyll & Hyde character when he had alcohol taken and suggested he had an issue with alcohol but this was an issue which his client denied.
He said his client was a part-time builder who lived at home with his parents and was now 20 years old but was only two weeks past his 18th birthday when the most serious of these events occurred.
Mr O’Brien added that Gardai were entitled to go about their business without being assaulted and that his client had apologised in full but his recollection of the events was that he had little recollection of them.
He added that his client had compensation of €550 in court but that he considered a Probation and Welfare report oin his client would benefit the Judge greatly.
Passing sentence, Judge Cunningham said that the court was fully aware of her stance on the verbal abuse of Gardai but to take it one step further to bring it to physical abuse was a very serious matter.
She accepted that Patrick’s Molloy’s incidents were of a much less serious nature than that of his brother.
However, he did attempt to punch a Garda and broke his glasses and fined him €500 for this and accepted that €170 in compensation had been paid for the glasses. Other charges were struck out or taken into consideration.
In the case of Sean Molloy, Judge Cunningham adjourned the case until July 20th to allow for compensation and also for the preparation of a Probation and Welfare Report on the accused.