Ex-publican claims Gardaí ‘kicked and lashed’ door

The former licensee of a city pub claimed the building’s foundations were rocked by a Garda sergeant “kicking and lashing” the front door as they tried to raid the premises late one night.

Mark Moran, 25 Caislean Rí, Tuam Road, Athenry, made the claim at Galway District Court last week where he pleaded guilty to permitting people to be in the Westside Tavern after hours on February 5 last.

Moran, who was the licensee of the premises at the time but who now works as a salesman, also pleaded guilty to failing to admit Sergeant Brendan Moore to the premises on the same occasion.

Sgt Moore told the court it took him 20 minutes to get into the premises that Sunday night. He said closing time would have been 11pm but when he arrived at 12.10am he could hear people inside.

By the time he was let in at 12.30am he could see signs of drinking but the place had been cleared up. He confirmed the premises did not have an extension for after hours and that Moran was the licensee at the time.

The defendant told Judge Mary Fahy he was no longer the licensee and was no longer in the licensing trade.

The judge asked him why he had not admitted the Sergeant.

“It was not a knock on the door.  It was a borderline attack on the premises; kicking and lashing. We couldn’t distinguish who was outside. The foundations were rocking, the banging was so bad,” Moran claimed.

Hearing Moran had three previous convictions for similar offences in the past three years, Judge Mary Fahy told him it was quite obvious the premises was not properly run and he would have known it was the Gardaí outside.  “People there should have been well used to it,” she said.

She also reminded Moran it was not the Sergeant’s duty to clear the pub. “That was your job,” she said.

Moran said the people on the premises were waiting for a taxi.

Judge Fahy convicted and fined him €500 for failing to admit Sgt Moore and imposed a further €100 fine for permitting found-ons to be on the premises after hours.