This article is from page 20 of the 2006-05-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
A THIEF roared at gardaí that he hoped they would “die a slow and agonising death” and tried to kick one of them in the face, a judge heard.
William Delaney, a Traveller with an address at Gort Road Industrial Estate, Ennis, pleaded guilty before Ennis District Court to stealing aluminium worth €1,000 at Quin Road Business Park on January 30. He also pleaded guilty to a charge under the Public Order Act.
The court heard that Delaney claimed he had been told by an employee of McCarthy builders that he could take the aluminium but that when gardai were called, he did not identify the person who had given him permission.
“He became abusive to a number of employees of the company and to gardaí at the scene,” a garda witness told Judge Joseph Mangan. “He roared that he hoped they would die a slow and painful death and he tried to kick a garda in the face.”
The man’s solicitor said that Delaney “was on medication on the day in question, although he is not offering this as an excuse and he is not offering this as an excuse for behaving without decorum. He has apologised profusely.”
The court heard that the aluminium was recovered. Delaney has seven previous convictions, Judge Mangan was told. The judge jailed Delaney for five months for the theft and two months for the Public Order offence. He set bail for an appeal at €750.