Suspended sentence in Garda assault case

A 22-year-old man who said that he thought that two Gardaí were going to attack his house at Grange Crescent was given a six-month suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to assault at at recent sitting of Mullingar District Court.The court heard that Hugh Nevin whose address was given as 31 Grange Crescent assaulted Garda Robert Feerey and Detective Sergeant Tom Judge outside his home on October 8 2009 after they had approached him during the course of inquiries they were making in the area.During the fracas the court was informed, Garda Feerey sustained a fractured finger and both officers were later treated at Mullingar Hospital for minor head injuries.Defence solictor Patricia Cronin said in defence of her client, that he had reacted to a "perceived threat" and that the incident had occurred shortly after feuding in the Grange area during which almost €8,000 worth of damage had been caused to Mr Nevin's house.She said that the situation in the area had been tense at the time and that the Nevin's home was barricaded as the family feared further attacks.Ms Cronin put forward the argument that her client had not known that the men were members of the Gardaí but Detective Sergeant Brian Willoughby refuted the suggestion and said that Garda Feerey had clearly identified himself.Ms Cronin said that her client was a 22-year-old single man with no previous convictions and had reacted badly to the situation in difficult circumstances.Judge Aneas McCarthy said that the maximum sentence for a section three assault at a Disrict Court was 12 months.However, he continued, because of Mr Nevin's plea of guilty and because he had no previous convictions he agreed to mitigate the term to a six-month sentence which he then suspended for a period of 12 months.