Garda accepts his attacker’s apology

A garda who was punched to the ground in a violent incident has accepted an apology from the attacker, who was yesterday jailed for nine months.

Aran Shanahan, with addresses at Pine Walk, Muskerry Estate, Ballincollig, and Dromcullen, Beal Na Morrive, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm, and a variety of public order charges arising from two incidents last summer.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: “He viciously assaulted Garda Jonathan O’Sullivan. I have read the victim impact statement. It affected this young guard and his family, causing them distress. I note that the guard accepts Mr Shanahan’s apology. I will take that into consideration.

“It was a very serious matter. It was a vicious assault.”

The judge backdated the sentence to January 8, when Shanahan went into custody.

Insp Ronan Kennelly said that, on July 6, 2017, gardaí were alerted to a large group of people drinking on a green at Innishmore, Ballincollig.

“Mr Shanahan was asleep on the green area and when he was awoken it was apparent he was in a very inebriated state and then became very volatile when he was attempting to leave the area,” he said.

He shouted abuse at gardaí, violently resisted arrest, and punched at Gda O’Sullivan and knocked him down.

Shanahan pleaded guilty to being drunk and a danger, engaging in threatening behaviour, obstruction, and assault causing harm.

In a separate incident on June 4, Shanahan was with a group of youths refused entry to a nightclub. While gardaí were arresting two of the group, Shanahan interfered, being abusive and aggressive. He pleaded guilty to being threatening and abusive, being drunk and a danger, and obstructing Garda Mary Horgan.