Man who attacked gardaí may be given community service

A man who took part in a violent attack on gardaí who were trying to arrest his cousin may be given community work in lieu of a prison sentence.

Declan Teeling (aged 21) was part of a group that took part in a struggle on garda David McCarthy and garda Ian Coyne after they tried to arrest Dean Teeling. The group had been drinking on Coultry Road in Ballymun.

Declan Teeling was seen punching garda Coyne in the back of the head and striking him a number of times from behind.

Dean Teeling (aged 19) told garda Coyne and garda McCarthy to "f*** off" and kicked and punched out at them when they tried to handcuff him.

He then encouraged the other youths to "get the scumbags", leading to a young girl throwing a bottle at garda McCarthy.

Teeling later admitted to the assault with the words: "I battered them and I don't give 'rats'. I'll gladly take a charge sheet on that. No further questions".

Judge Delahunt adjourned sentencing to next January and ordered the preparation of a probation report to determine if Declan Teeling was suitable for community service.

She warned him that if he didn't co-operate with the service in the meantime, he would receive a jail term.

"Take very, very close care how you behave," she told him after she said she had taken into account that he only had two previous convictions for minor offences.

Kelly Boyd (aged 21), a mother of two, of Marewood Crescent, Ballymun, who pulled and dragged at garda Coyne, received an 18-month suspended sentence last December after she pleaded guilty to assaulting the garda causing him harm on June 1, 2006.

Dean Teeling of Oldtown Road, Santry, received a six-year sentence from Judge Delahunt for the assault and a series of robberies in 2006.

He had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to garda Coyne, to obstructing a garda in the execution of his duties and assaulting garda McCarthy at Coultry Road.

Judge Delahunt imposed consecutive sentences totalling six-and-a-half years and suspended the final three years, telling him that she was taking a chance on him and warned that if he stepped out of line, he would be back before her.

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

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