Man had leg of table down his pants 'for his own protection'
Thursday March 04 2010
A MAN who appeared before Kanturk District Court for having a table leg down his trousers was someone the public must be protected from, according to the judge who sentenced him to six months in prison.
Gordon Hussey, 3 Burtons Place, Kanturk, was charged with possessing an article with intent to cause harm in Kanturk on January 16 last.
Evidence was given by gardai that at 10pm that night they were notified by a caller to the station that there was a man asleep in a car outside who was then arrested by Garda Eoin Sheehan. Attempts to awaken Mr Hussey failed forcing the gardai to carry him up the steps towards the station.
Half way up the steps, Garda Paul Reddington noted the leg of a chair 'standing out from his pants'. Mr Hussey explained it was 'for his own protection' ... from 'you know who'. Garda Mairead Morrissey later found a black balaclava in Mr Hussey's car.
Mr Hussey was also charged with being drunk in a public place, obstructing a police officer and insulting behaviour at Greenane, Kanturk, on December 18, 2009, while residing at 4 Olivers Place, Kanturk.
Evidence was given by Garda Mark Moynihan that he 'violently resisted' any attempts to search him under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Garda Moynihan had to seek the assistance of three other gardai to bring him to the garda station.
Addressing Mr Hussey, who had 44 previous convictions, Judge Pattwell said "I don't know, Mr Hussey, I wonder that you have not copped on — you are the local fellow that goes to jail. You are the local figure to be pointed at. You are going to be the type that parents point at and say 'don't be like him'."
I have to protect the public, added the judge as he sentenced Mr Hussey to six months in prison for the possession of an article with intent to cause injury, plus a month in jail for obstructing a police officer, plus another month in prison for failing to appear in court while on bail.
- COURT REPORTER
