Court hears Wicklow man threatened gardaí and their families
The court heard An Garda Síochána responded to reports of a domestic dispute but instead they observed Mr Obrein stumbling across the street.
When confronted Mr Obrein 'had a strong smell of alcohol' and began to shout 'get the fuck out my estate or I will kill your family' at gardaí.
Mr Obrien's solicitor told the court that his client had been involved in a serious road traffic collision and had sustained a serious brain injury, which left him taking ten different types of medication daily. He had letters from Mr O'Brien's GP and from Brain Injury Ireland to attest to the severity of his injury.
Mr Obrien told the court he was 'ashamed and embarrassed', he has previously worked as a labourer and is only recently married. Mr Obrein's solicitor added that 'Mr Obrein's actions were not his general demeanour'.
Mr Obrein is already serving a four-year driving ban and previously had a sentence suspended for three months.
The judge decided not to enforce his suspended sentence due to the accused's brain injury and found him guilty under Probation Act Section 1.1.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Gareth O'Callaghan: Garda recruits start out full of ambition. What happens then?
The energy and enthusiasm was palpable around the courtyard of McCan Barracks — better known since 1964 as the Garda Training College — on the morning of June 6. Families and partners had gathered to watch 120 recruits become sworn members of An Garda Siochána. The pride was evident on their faces that evening on the news. Some 22 of these shiny new gardaí were born outside the State, from homelands including Belarus, Moldova, England, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, and Northern Ireland. The sworn declaration made by each graduate included the words: 'I will see and cause the peace to be kept and preserved, and that I will prevent to the best of my power all offences against the same." So, at what point, and why, does a freshly minted garda, filled with admirable intentions to make a positive difference in society, turn rogue? The recent Crowe Report's findings that a number of gardaí — a 'noticeable minority' — assigned to the national roads policing division are not carrying out their jobs, and have no interest in doing so, has been greeted with shock. Other findings show that gardaí who were not carrying out their duties didn't care that they were being monitored, and that their managers weren't dealing with the problem. What surprised me was how anyone who has been following what many might call the force's decline was shocked. An Garda Síochána assistant commissioner Paula Hilman and deputy commissioner Shawna Coxon at the publication of the Crowe Report in Garda HQ, Dublin. Picture: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos An Garda Síochána has been plagued by scandals since long before 2014, when the handling of the disclosures from two garda whistleblowers, Maurice McCabe and John Wilson, led to the resignations of justice minister Alan Shatter, garda commissioner Martin Callinan, and later his successor Noirín O'Sullivan. The nation was appalled when details of the venomous smear campaign aimed deliberately at McCabe, orchestrated by senior garda officials, were published. McCabe's legitimate concerns while a sergeant in Cavan during the early 2000s included the number of hours gardaí in his area were actually working, an overall demise of standards that he regularly witnessed, and a lack of work initiative among several colleagues. In 2008, following a number of slipshod investigations, including an assault in 2007 in a pub in Bailieborough where a garda probationer investigating strongly advised the victim to withdraw his statement against his alleged assailants, McCabe resigned as sergeant-in-charge. He resigned from the force in 2018, stating that the way his complaints had been handled had 'destroyed me, my career, and my family'. Following the scandal, Enda Kenny's government pledged to usher in a 'new era of policing'. Strong leadership For its gripping and thorough account of the Maurice McCabe scandal, I highly recommend A Force For Justice, by Mick Clifford of this parish. During their training, gardaí are taught that every human being is capable of committing shocking crimes — not just the criminal underworld or sections of deprived society. But that can come closer to home because as we have seen from recent high-profile cases some gardaí are also the perpetrators of crimes. Everything in life — without exception — depends on relationships, whether it's a marriage, a business, or a democracy. Every relationship in turn needs a strategy that is nurtured. Otherwise it fails. A police force is no different. It's a sprawling business that relies more than any other on strong leadership at every level, and on strategic planning Without flexibility, there can be no strategy. Survival relies on strategies that can adapt to an ever-changing landscape of challenges. If the different levels of superiority within a business refuse to work cohesively within the common strategy, then accountability goes out the window and the blame game begins. This is what has happened to An Garda Síochána; because a lack of congruence and trust at every level is failing its rank and file — the ones at the coalface. Driving on our roads these days is like jumping out of a plane with a parachute strapped to your back — your survival is in the hands of the gods. Roads policing is exactly what it says on the tin; or at least it should be. Its textbook objectives are the enforcement of current road traffic legislation. Reducing fatalities and injuries, while preventing criminals from using the country's roads for illegal activities, is the job description. It's a mammoth task, considering we don't have enough gardaí or vehicles, and this report proves that some gardaí in that unit have no interest in what they're being paid to do. How do the report findings make honest and dedicated gardaí feel? It's soul destroying to work with a colleague who doesn't pull his weight, even more so if your manager doesn't score high on the work ethic either. The Crowe Report found 'a noticeable minority' assigned to the national roads policing division are not carrying out their jobs. Picture: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos Top brass are quick to emphasise that it's a noticeable minority of gardaí who are involved; but at what point could a noticeable minority tip over into a small majority? What makes a young garda lose interest in the job? To answer that, it's crucial to look at the organisational culture of the force, which hasn't changed, despite Enda Kenny's promise. 'That's not how we do things around here' is not what a new recruit expects to hear on their first day on the job, but that's often what they are told. If your boss is a slouch, or worse a bully, in any business, then there's little incentive to stand out from the crowd and shine. It usually encourages the opposite. Many gardaí who were young recruits at the time of the McCabe scandal are now sergeants. Did the ruination of McCabe still influence the day-to-day decisions they make in relation to their obligations? In McCabe's own words: 'The system grinds down any individual who complains.' In organisations with rarified levels of management, there tends to be a lot of obfuscation, often coupled with a lack of accountability. When faced with a decision you know is the right one, but not the one your boss might opt for, then self-preservation kicks in. If gardaí lack interest in what they're employed to do, it points to a toxic culture, not only within the force but also out on the streets, that can slowly kill off their initiative to be the officer they trained to be. Then there's "presenteeism", where gardaí are turning up unfit to work because of mental health issues, which they fear would be regarded by their colleagues as a weakness of character. The GRA 2023 Why Are Members Of An Garda Síochána Resigning? report saw 32.5% of gardaí surveyed reporting a toxic work environment, while 37.5% brought up mental health issues and burnout. If the new commissioner has garnered anything from the legacy of the past 25 years, it should be to patrol the streets at least once a week in the company of those who do it every day, and to give them whatever new resources they need to do their jobs. Maybe then, the substantial minority might show some interest in the ordinary decent people they are paid to protect.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Teacher struck off register after defrauding colleagues out of €2,000 in ‘elaborate hoax'
Teachers were induced to part with significant sums of money for various goods, including Christmas presents for their children. A primary school teacher who defrauded three colleagues out of over €2,000 in 'an elaborate hoax' and failed to repay a €1,000 loan from her school's board of management has been struck off from the register of teachers. An inquiry panel of the Teaching Council also directed that the teacher cannot apply to be reinstated to the register for a minimum of five years at a sanction hearing on Thursday. The teacher, who cannot be named by direction of the three-person panel, did not attend the fitness-to-teach inquiry and was not legally represented. The panel found the teacher – who is in her early 30s – guilty of professional misconduct and in breach of the Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers in relation to four out of five allegations against her. The chairperson of the inquiry, Paul Moroney, said the panel had concluded that the findings were 'fundamentally incompatible' with the teacher remaining on the Register of Teachers. File image. News in 90 Seconds - August 15th Mr Moroney said the level of dishonesty involved in the deception of three of her teaching colleagues was 'disgraceful and dishonourable' and involved exploitation by inducing them to part with significant sums of money for various goods, including Christmas presents for their children. He also claimed she had failed to demonstrate any insight into her misconduct. 'There remains a disturbing absence of any empathy for her victims or any understanding of the nature and extent of her wrongdoing,' he added. The findings related to the teacher dishonestly obtaining sums of €375 and €545 via Revolut from two special needs assistants in October 2021 at the school in the east of the country where she taught. The payments were made in exchange for discounted Apple products which were never received. It was also proven that she had similarly obtained €1,102 by deception from a teacher at her school in September 2021. The panel separately found that the teacher had failed to repay a loan of approximately €1,000 obtained from her school's board of management in September 2021 as an advance on her salary, despite repeated requests for repayment. The panel also deemed an allegation that the teacher had driven off from an Applegreen service station on the M1 on September 22, 2021 without paying for €15 of fuel had been proven but found that it did not constitute professional misconduct or a breach of the profession's code of conduct. The findings were made on the basis of evidence of several witnesses from the school and Garda evidence from related criminal proceedings for which the teacher received the Probation Act and was spared a criminal conviction. Mr Moroney described the deception by the teacher as 'elaborate and carefully planned.' He said she had persisted with the hoax with detailed and apparently credible explanations for delays in providing the goods which were 'entirely untrue.' 'The nature and extent of the deviousness was a fundamental betrayal of the trust that normally exists between teachers and their colleagues,' said Mr Moroney. He claimed the failure to repay the loan to the school's board of management had deprived its students of the money and the deception involved was 'elaborate and persistent.' Mr Moroney said the panel had sought a fair and appropriate sanction which would protect the public and maintain trust and confidence in teachers and the way they were regulated. However, he said the elaborate and sophisticated nature of the deception, which had involved the preparation of price lists, fake documents from suppliers and references to couriers with delivery dates, was 'disturbing.' He said the teacher's actions 'pointed to a complete lack of empathy for her victims and their families' as well as showing no appreciation for depriving students of school funds. The panel noted the money taken from her colleagues had been repaid by the time she appeared in court in September 2022 after which she resigned from her teaching post. However, she has only repaid €50 of the sum owed to the board of management. Solicitor for the Teaching Council, James Roche, told the panel that the teacher had consented for the sanction hearing to proceed in her absence as she was attending a wedding abroad. Mr Roche acknowledged that while the findings against the teacher were serious, they were 'not at the extreme upper end.' The inquiry heard that the teacher, who had amassed €82,000 worth of debt, claimed she had been clear of her gambling addiction for the past two years and had not got into any trouble since. In correspondence with the Teaching Council, the teacher claimed she should be given a second chance by her professional body as she had been given one by a judge. She wrote: 'Numerous gambling addicts in the country get a second chance and I believe I deserve one.' The teacher asked the inquiry panel to take into consideration that she had suffered several personal hardships including illness of both her parents and the death of her father in 2020. She also had other family bereavements including two relatives who were killed on the roads and had experienced a burglary in her home by two individuals she subsequently discovered were convicted murderers. Although the teacher had indicated a wish to stay teaching, she also accepted that she probably would not work in the profession again. She claimed she had intended to get the items that she had promised but had 'dug a hole' with her gambling. Her counsellor informed the Teaching Council that her gambling was a coping mechanism for the multiple losses she had encountered but she had worked to overcome her addiction and it would be 'appalling' if she lost her ability to teach due to a mental illness. However, Mr Moroney said no independent expert report or evidence had been received about the teacher's health issues and the panel were not persuaded she had any relevant health issue now or previously which would mitigate the sanction. He said it was striking that she had made only fleeting references to being embarrassed and apologising for her actions in the course of extensive written communications with the Teaching Council over several years. Mr Moroney said the panel could not say with any confidence when, if ever, it might be appropriate to restore the teacher's name to the register but it had concluded she could not reapply for a period of five years. The ruling will need to be ratified by the High Court to formally take effect.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: Commissioner must restore faith in rule of law
The Crowe Report, an independent review of roads policing which was published yesterday morning, makes for difficult reading — and not just for the gardaí. The report finds that a majority of gardaí involved in roads policing are productive and professional, but it has also highlighted issues with poor productivity and behaviour among a 'noticeable' minority, stating some are 'unproductive' and appear 'demotivated and unconcerned' with doing their jobs properly. This is deeply concerning on many levels. The number of road deaths this year, at the time of writing, was 103, which is higher than two fatalities per week. The fact that the section of An Garda Síochána charged with policing the roads has been condemned in such trenchant language by an independent review will not instil confidence in the safety of our road systems. There are other factors involved in the number of serious traffic accidents, but the fact that 'noticeable' numbers of the enforcement agency policing this area are unproductive only serves to embolden those breaking the law on the roads. In addition, the report's findings also do little for the standing of the Gardaí generally. It is widely accepted that the job of a garda has rarely been more difficult, and revelations such as this undermine the authority of the force across the board. It is also the latest in a series of scandals involving serving members of the force. These have ranged from a former garda jailed for inciting men to rape a female colleague and her daughters, to another former garda who was convicted of selling cocaine. These, and other matters, are sure to loom large in the in-tray of incoming Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, who takes up his new role on September 1. His immediate predecessor, Drew Harris, has drawn plenty of criticism in recent years, and it remains to be seen how his tenure will be evaluated in the long term, but Mr Kelly has more than enough to contend with himself next month. A lack of confidence in the gardaí means a lack of confidence in the rule of law. Zelenskyy needs real guarantees On Friday, US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin are to meet in Alaska, with the war in Ukraine expected to dominate the agenda. This, the blandest statement of the facts possible, is about as decisive as anyone can be about this meeting; long experience has taught us all to treat anything said or promised by Mr Trump with extreme caution. It might be worth noting, for instance, that some residents of Anchorage, Alaska, have pointed to their president initially saying he was meeting Mr Putin in Russia and have — half-jokingly — sought assurances that their state will not be sold back to Russia. The fact that a discussion of Ukraine's future is being held without the presence of that country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is an obvious caveat ahead of any agreements that might emerge from those discussions. Mr Zelenskyy has been in Britain in recent days holding talks with British prime minister Keir Starmer. Even at a remove of several thousand kilometres, the Ukrainian president articulated what might be expected from the discussions in Alaska when discussing his meeting with Mr Starmer: 'We discussed expectations from the meeting in Alaska and possible prospects. We also discussed in detail the security guarantees that could make peace truly sustainable if the United States manages to pressure Russia into stopping the killings and engaging in genuine, meaningful diplomacy.' As someone who has seen at first hand the impact of Mr Putin's attacks on his country, it is no surprise that Mr Zelenskyy isolated the two linked issues which are involved here. What specific security guarantees could make peace sustainable? Can Russia, as the aggressor in this conflict, be trusted to accept and maintain such guarantees? In order to do so, as Mr Zelenskyy pointed out, Russia would have to stop the killings and engage in meaningful diplomacy. More meaningful diplomacy than lunch with Mr Trump in Alaska, at any rate. Invasive species The recent warm weather has probably encouraged many readers to enjoy the outdoors, which makes recent warnings about the Asian hornet all the more timely. An invasive species, the hornet is native to South-East Asia, but has spread to Europe in recent decades. One was spotted in Cork by a member of the public, sparking a biosecurity alert, but the National Parks and Wildlife Service has since said the hornet has been captured, and the Government has convened a taskforce to co-ordinate a response to the sighting. The presence of the Asian hornet is a serious matter — although it does not pose a significant public health risk, even a single hornet nest has the potential to devastate native bee populations. Given how central bees are to our entire ecosystem, it is no surprise that this is being taken very seriously by the Government. The official advice is that people continue to keep their eyes open and report any sightings of the Asian hornet, but to avoid disturbing or capturing them. The good news is that there is no evidence of a nest, while the fact that a member of the public identified the hornet is also encouraging. As minister of state for biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan said, this shows 'members of the public are our eyes on the ground'. Long may that continue.
