Connacht Tribune
Conman cop rumbled by real-life detective
A man who bought a Garda hat and flashing blue lights on eBay before impersonating a member of the force, tackled four youths in a Galway shopping centre over a supermarket trolley they were pulling around the forecourt.
Unfortunately for Harley Bradley, a genuine Garda detective also happened to be at Westside Shopping Centre as the drama unfolded – and when Bradley told Padraig Healy that he was stationed in Oranmore, he wasn’t to know that Det Healy was actually based at that same station.
Bradley (27), from 24 Riverside, Grange, Ballina, admitted a number of offences at Galway District Court this week when Judge John King described him as a fantasist who had gone around saying he was a Garda, while driving without insurance and while already disqualified from driving.
Bradley pleaded guilty to impersonating a member of An Garda Siochana at Maxol Petrol Station, Westside Shopping Centre, Galway, on October 28 last year, contrary to Section 60 (1) (a) of the Garda Siochana Act 2005.
He also pleaded guilty to having no insurance or driving licence on the same date.
The court heard Detective Padraig Healy pulled into the Maxol filling station at 9pm on October 28 last year.
He observed four youths pulling a trolley around the forecourt. He then saw the driver of a blue Ford Mondeo activate a blue light on the dashboard before telling the youths to leave the trolley back.
Det. Healy approached the driver who told him he was a member of An Garda Siochana, stationed in Oranmore. Det. Healy, who is stationed in Oranmore, did not recognise him.
When questioned, Bradley gave him a false name but then admitted he was not a Garda at all. He apologised to Det. Healy and said he would be on his way.
Det. Healy became suspicious and asked him for his identification before seizing the Ford Mondeo.
He soon discovered Bradley did not have insurance or a driving licence because he was already disqualified from driving.
Det. Healy searched the car and found a Garda hat in the boot. Bradley said he had bought the hat and flashing blue lights on eBay.
He told Det. Healy he approached the youths because he wanted to move them on and not be messing with the trolley as he was employed by Dunnes Stores.
Sergeant Georgina Lohan, prosecuting, confirmed Bradley had three previous convictions. The first was recorded at Castlebar District Court in November 2016 for using a false instrument.
He had also been convicted of dangerous driving and driving without insurance and had been disqualified from driving for two years at the time of this latest offence.
Defence solicitor, John Martin said his client was an assistant retail manager who worked a lot in Galway and he wanted to apologise for his actions.
He said Bradley worked for the last five years with his current employers and was a father-figure to his younger siblings.
He said his client had bought the Garda hat for a Hallowe’en party.
He said Bradley had activated the blue dash lights when he saw what the youths were doing but there was no real reason why he would have the lights in the first place.
Mr Martin said his client had stopped driving altogether and was now getting the bus between Galway and Mayo to see his partner and child there.
Judge King said Bradley had been driving while disqualified and that having Garda paraphernalia in his car did not make any sense.
Hearing the maximum penalties for impersonating a Garda was a fine of €3,000 and/or twelve months in prison, the judge sentenced Bradley to two months in prison for that offence which he suspended for two years.
He directed Bradley carry out 100 hours’ community service in lieu of six weeks in prison for driving without insurance and directed he carry out a further 100 hour’s community service in lieu of a two- month consecutive sentence for driving without a licence.
“He is representing himself as a Garda and driving around without insurance. I have serious concerns for someone going around saying he is a Garda. He’s a fantasist,” the judge observed.
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Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
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Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
