Mother has sentence suspended in garda attack case

A mother of two has received an 18-month suspended sentence from Judge Katherine Delahunt for her role in a violent attack on a garda who was trying to arrest a drinking companion.

Kelly Boyd (aged 21), of Marewood Crescent, Ballymun, pulled and dragged at Garda Ian Coyne as he was trying to arrest Dean Teeling, after a group of young people had been ordered to leave the Coultry Road where they were spotted drinking.

She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Coyne on June 1, 2006. Her three previous convictions included a three month suspended sentence for assault charge.

Ms Caroline Biggs BL, defending, told Judge Delahunt that Boyd had "desperate tragedy" in her life and was the victim of "systematic and repeated abuse over a seven year period" for which the perpetrator had been jailed for ten years.

Ms Biggs said a psychologist report indicated that Boyd thought it was her own fault she had been treated in this way because she felt "she let it happen".

She also blamed herself for the death of her three year old brother, who was knocked by down by a truck when she, as an eight-year-old girl, was looking after him.

Ms Biggs said Boyd was "not equipped to deal with the normal obstacles of life" and both abused alcohol and harmed herself in order to "numb the pain".

Judge Delahunt said Boyd had to be congratulated because she had "undoubtedly" turned her life around and done so with such "vigour".

She said that while an attack on any member of the services, be it gardaí, ambulance crew or prison officers would normally automatically attract a custodial sentence, it would not be in Boyd's best interest or that of the State to send her to jail, considering what she had done "to rectify her situation".

Judge Delahunt added that it was "very impressive" that there were so many positive reports and testimonials before the court and suspended the 18 month prison term for two years.

Sergeant Edward Carroll told Ms Marie Torrens BL, prosecuting, that Dean Teeling, became abusive when Garda David McCarthy tried to handcuff him and violently resisted the arrest.

He then started to "egg on the crowd" which resulted in a violent struggle with several people, including Boyd, pulling out of Gda McCarthy's jacket.

A number of young woman got involved and one girl hurled a bottle at Gda Coyne who was then punched and kicked after he fell to the ground.

Gda Coyne was later treated in an accident and emergency for severe headaches and lower back pain. He took four weeks off work.

Sgt Carroll agreed with Ms Biggs that Boyd was intoxicated on the night but didn't throw any missiles. The extent of her involvement was to pull and drag at the gardaí as they were trying to arrest Dean Teeling.

Ms Biggs said Boyd was filled with rage and wrongly took this out on the gardaí. She offered an unreserved apology for her "deplorable involvement" on the night.

Boyd has since moved from the Ballymun flats to a home which she shared with her three-year-old daughter and baby boy. She had been getting counselling and a report indicated that if she dealt with her rage she would be unlikely to re-offend.

Declan Teeling, (aged 19) of Coultry Road, Ballymun a co-accused and a cousin of Dean Teeling (aged 18) of Oldtown Road, Santry, also pleaded guilty to the same offence and has been remanded on bail for sentence. He had two previous convictions for public order offences,

He was seen punching Gda Coyne in the back of the head and striking him a number of times from behind.

Dean Teeling is due to be sentenced next week by Judge Delahunt after he pleaded guilty to obstructing a garda during in the execution of his duties and assaulting Gda McCarthy at Coultry Road.