The wife of a garda attacked twice in the line of duty asked him to leave his job, a court has heard.
Garda Richard O’Donnell was knocked to the floor after Willie Connors (42) punched him in the face while the garda was trying to bring him into court.
Pieter LeVert BL, defending, told the court it was a punch that the garda could never have seen coming.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Garda O’Donnell was unable to work for a week and felt compromised after the attack. It was the second time in two weeks that he was assaulted and his wife suggested he leave the job and “not put himself in the front line”.
The father of two was left with a permanent scar on his upper lip and said the assault by Connors had caused him to change his mood to one of aggression and anger.
Blamed
The court heard he blamed himself for putting himself in danger and he didn’t feel as confident in hostile situations. The assaults had caused a personal safety concern for his family and changed what was once a rewarding job for him.
Connors, of Bachelors Walk, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Parkgate Street, Dublin, on October 10th, 2017.
The court heard Garda O’Donnell had initially arrested Connors for aggressive begging.
Connors’ 141 previous convictions include convictions for assault, drug dealing, intoxication, unlawful possession of knives and escape from custody.
Mr Le Vert said his client’s childhood was marred by constant domestic violence and he had a history of sniffing solvents and abusing heroin. He said Connors was upset at himself when he saw what he had done.
Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last 18 months of a three-year prison sentence on condition that he engage in anger management and victim focus work with the Probation Service.
She said she was taking into consideration his traumatic upbringing and a later addiction to drugs.
Judge Greally said he had expressed remorse and appeared to have insight now into his offending. She backdated the sentence to April 2018.