This article is from page 14 of the 2006-05-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A CLARECASTLE man has admitted kicking a taxi driver in a drinkrelated incident. Alan Kerin (22), of Church Drive, Clarecastle, pleaded guilty to assault, on May 3, 2005.
Inspector Kevin Moynihan told Ennis District Court that a taxi driver brought the defendant and others to Clarecastle on the date in question.
The taxi driver was assaulted with a bottle by another person. That individual is currently outside the jurisdiction. The defendant kicked the taxi driver, said the garda.
Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey pointed out that her client was in court last month, where he received a 20-month sentence, after pleading guilty to a number of offences.
These included theft and handling stolen property, between May and October 2005. He also admitted breaking into the parochial house in Clarecastle in October 2005.
“Six cases were dealt with that day. This is one of those cases that might have been dealt with at the same time,” said Ms Godfrey.
She pointed out that her client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to assaulting the taxi driver and that the incident was drink-related.
Judge Joseph Mangan accepted that Kerin had pleaded guilty. He marked it proved and took it into consideration, with the sentence imposed last month.