Man threatened to shoot city Garda

A man threatened to shoot a Garda in the head when asked for his name and address after he was caught throwing a glass bottle across a street.

Ali Ghomeshi Bozorg (34), Great Western House hostel, Frenchville Lane, blamed his behaviour on a cocktail of prescribed antibiotics and painkillers he was taking at the time for migraine following an assault.

The South African national pleaded guilty before Galway District Court to refusing to give his name and address to Garda Pat Foley at Eglinton Street, Galway on March 11 last.

He also pleaded guilty to being drunk on the occasion and to breaching the peace by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour on the same date.

The court heard Bozorg was observed throwing a bottle across Eglinton Street at 2.20am and became very aggressive when Garda Foley approached him.

He threatened to shoot Garda Foley in the head and made obscene comments to him.  He remained aggressive and was arrested.

Judge Mary Fahy said the facts outlined to the court were outrageous and worrying.

Defence solicitor, Ronan Murphy agreed the reaction of his client on the night was much more menacing and sinister than one would expect for a Public Order offence.

His client, he said, could not remember anything but he accepted Garda Foley’s version of what happened.

Bozorg, he said, was shocked by the comments he had made but a possible reason for such behaviour was because he was taking antibiotics and painkillers for migraine as a result of an assault he had suffered prior to this night.

Mr Murphy said his client had been in Ireland for five years but did not have permanent residency here and was residing at Great Western House refugee centre.

Hearing the accused was an asylum seeker, Judge Fahy said she knew he did not have much money to pay a fine.

Owing to the seriousness of what he said to Garda Foley, the judge said she wanted the accused assessed as to his suitability to carry out community service.

“The comments to Garda Foley were totally unacceptable and puts this at the very high level of Public Order offences,” Judge Fahy said.

Bozorg was assessed promptly by probation officer, Pat Mitchell, and found suitable to carry out community service.

Judge Fahy then ordered he carry out 240 hours of community service in total and she imposed a €100 fine for being drunk.