Man helped build barrier in bid to prevent gardaí seizing vehicle
A man behaved 'outrageously' when he helped construct a makeshift barrier from scraps of metal and timber to stop gardaí seizing a car from a Dublin halting site.
In a random traffic stop an hour later, Michael Maughan endangered the public when he mounted a footpath in his vehicle and drove through a pedestrian crossing to prevent officers confiscating his truck.
Dublin District Court heard his actions were due to a 'rush of blood to the head' and 'heightened emotions' over the vehicle seizures by the gardaí.
Judge John Hughes gave him a nine-month suspended sentence, banned him from driving for a year, fined him €500 and told him to take an anger management course.
Michael Maughan drove on a footpath to escape gardaí
Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 20th
Maughan (29), of Silloge Green, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to garda obstruction, threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and endangerment.
Dublin District Court heard gardaí were seizing a Toyota Corolla at wasteground at the NCT Halting Site, Naul Road, on April 16 last year when men, including Maughan, protested.
They erected a makeshift barrier at the site entrance, obstructing a tow company.
Maughan was not the owner of the car and was not the main protester, the garda said.
Another man who was more actively involved had been dealt with by the courts.
The accused's lawyer said the barrier was 'hamfisted' and 'very much off the cuff with whatever they could lay their hands on'.
An hour later, other gardaí on patrol at Naul Road saw the accused driving a Mercedes flatbed truck with no operating rear brake lights.
When pulled over, he did not have insurance or a licence on him.
He said his home was very near and he could return to get them. When gardaí said they would seize the truck he became distressed.
'There was a bit of a shouting match', a garda said, and Maughan returned to the truck.
He reversed around the patrol car and drove on to the footpath and through a pedestrian crossing with 'no consideration for other road users'.
Maughan's home was a stone's throw away, the endangerment was not protracted and nobody came to any harm, his lawyer said.
'He took umbrage that [gardaí] were about to seize his vehicle and, rightly or wrongly, emotions were high,' he said.
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