‘Rotund man on small bike’ in drive-by insult of garda
Kilrush District Court yesterday erupted into laughter after Pat Moylan, the solicitor for Flannan Burke, said his client verbally abused Garda Gerard Griffin after taking offence as he was “a big man on a small bike”.
Burke, of St Senan’s Terrace, Kilrush, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at Wilson Rd, Kilrush, on April 19.
In evidence, Garda Griffin said that Burke was cycling a BMX bike at Wilson Rd last April and that, “I said ‘hello’ to him and he called me a wanker”.
Garda Griffin conveyed Mr Burke to the local Garda station where he was detained for over 40 minutes.
Garda Griffin told the court: “In fairness to Mr Burke, he apologised to me on the day, saying it was a moment of madness and he has apologised to me umpteen times since.”
Mr Moylan told the court: “The bike was quite small. Mr Burke is slightly large and he believed that he was being offended — a big man on a small bike.”
He added: “Mr Burke believed that because he is slightly rotund cycling a small children’s bike that he was being offended.”
Judge Patrick Durcan said: “Because the garda said hello? A community-based garda? Put your client into the witness stand and get his version of what happened.”
Burke said: “I was on a small bike and I saw the gardaí on the right-hand side. Garda Griffin was sitting inside the car. He pointed, he laughed, and he shouted out to me and said, “Burke, aren’t you big for that small bike?’ Now that was an insult to me, maybe he didn’t think it was an insult, but it was.
“To be honest, I insulted him back. He said that I called him something but I actually called him something else to be honest.”
Judge Durcan asked: “Can you let us into the secret?”
Burke replied: “I called him the ‘C’ word.”
Judge Durcan said he would strike out the matter if Burke gave €250 to the poor box.
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