A Belfast man was given an 18-month suspended sentence at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday for assaulting a garda in Dundalk.
Nicholas O'Hare (32), single, Windmill Court, Dundalk, pleaded guilty to assaulting and injuring Det Garda Enda Rice at Clanbrassil Shopping Centre on October 30th last year.
Det Garda Jim Boyle said he and Det Garda Rice approached O'Hare and another man in the car-park of the shopping centre and asked to check the man's identity.
O'Hare told i they had no right to ask anybody anything and told Det Garda Rice: "If you don't f--- off I'll bury my head in your face" and gave Det Garda Rice a full blow of his fist in the face, knocking him down. Det Garda Rice was off work for a week as a result.
Det Garda Boyle said O'Hare had come to live in Dundalk in 1986 and had previous convictions. He was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court in 1989 for having a sawn-off shotgun and was jailed by the Circuit Criminal Court in 1993 for extortion and larceny.
O'Hare said in evidence that he had apologised to Det Garda Rice and added: "It was a rush to the head."
Mr Justice Morris, presiding, said O'Hare had an appalling record, but the court would give him a chance as he appeared to be genuinely contrite. His 18-month sentence was suspended on condition that he keep the peace for three years.