Latest news with #CollinsCourtsNews
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
Garda assaulted teen joyrider with ‘gratuitous' knee to stomach as he arrested him
The youth had already surrendered following a pursuit and was being restrained when Garda Dean Chapman struck him with 'no need', a court heard A garda assaulted a teenage joyrider with a 'gratuitous' knee to the stomach as he arrested him after a 'highly reckless' road rampage around a busy shopping centre. The youth had already surrendered following a pursuit and was being restrained when Garda Dean Chapman struck him with 'no need', a court heard. Chapman (35), who has since left the force and is now a firefighter and paramedic, pleaded guilty when he appeared in Dublin District Court. Judge Aine Clancy applied the Probation of Offenders Act, sparing him a recorded conviction, after he made a €1,000 charity donation. Chapman admitted assaulting the teenager at an address in west Dublin following a road chase around the Blanchardstown Centre on January 22, 2023. The court heard the car was stolen in Tipperary and was driven dangerously in a garda pursuit which ended when it was abandoned in the shopping centre. The teenager was arrested at a nearby house and Chapman placed a hand on his shoulder before bringing him to the ground. When the youth was being brought back to his feet, Chapman kneed him in the abdominal area. The garda air support unit had been involved in the pursuit and the helicopter footage was played to the court, showing the car being driven at speed through traffic on a busy afternoon at the Blanchardstown Centre. Chapman, who had no previous convictions, was involved in the pursuit from the M50 and the court had seen an example of 'what can only be described as highly reckless and dangerous driving' by the stolen car, his barrister said. Garda Dean Chapman. Photo: Collins Courts News in 90 Seconds - 5th June 2025 He had witnessed this before the encounter with the teenager who was 'previously known to the gardai and had not been compliant with them.' This was to the forefront of Chapman's mind when he struck the victim in a 'momentary aberration of character.' The victim was now serving a prison sentence. Chapman had worked in the gardai for four years as well in the defence forces and had an 'exemplary record.' The assault incident was one factor in Chapman's decision to resign from the gardai. The lawyer asked the judge to consider the effect a conviction would have for someone like Chapman, who was dealing with the public on a daily basis. The court heard he had one child and another on the way. Judge Clancy said she had seen the 'horrendous' driving that took place in the lead up to the assault. 'It's a knee to the abdomen of the injured party, it was gratuitous, he was already restrained and there was no need to do that,' she said. However, she dismissed the charge under the Probation Act after the €1,000 donation was made.
Sunday World
6 days ago
- Business
- Sunday World
Man ran ‘Europe's cheapest car park' in scam on school grounds
Jason Walsh (36) was caught several times charging up to 150 vehicles to park in the school after breaking the locks and getting in An intruder broke into a Dublin secondary school and turned the grounds into an unauthorised paid car park in a money-making scam. Jason Walsh (36) was caught several times charging up to 150 vehicles to park in the school after breaking the locks and getting in. Judge John Hughes said it must have been the 'cheapest car park in Europe' when Walsh maintained he only made €200 himself after donating half the proceeds to charity. Dublin District Court heard students' events had to be scaled back or cancelled to pay for the €1,000 of damage Walsh caused, and the judge told him to repay this or face jail. Walsh, of The Willows, Finglas Road, Glasnevin, pleaded guilty to trespassing, criminal damage and deception by inducing the public to pay for car parking on private property without permission. The court heard the caretaker at St Vincent's Secondary School, Finglas Road, Glasnevin, called gardaí after the locks on the front gates were broken and two men were parking cars on the grounds in exchange for unknown sums of money. The same thing happened again on two other days. Walsh had 181 previous convictions for offences including burglary. The accused apologised and indicated he was going to pay for the damage, his solicitor said. Walsh was trying to 'make a few extra quid' when he got involved in the offence with two other people. Judge Hughes told Walsh he had a 'good oul run of it' and when asked how much he had got from it, Walsh replied €200. The judge said with 150 cars, it was 'the cheapest car park in Europe, I'd say'. The court heard to pay for the damage, the school had to redirect funds from student events. Walsh said he was a recovering drug addict, rebuilding his life. The court heard he had suffered a lot of personal trauma, including the loss of a partner who was murdered. 'There's kids who didn't get to go on school tours because yourself and your buddies were running a scam,' the judge said. 'You are going to have to pony up the cash or you're going to jail.' Jason Walsh said he made €200. Photo: Collins Courts News in 90 Seconds - 3rd June 2025
Sunday World
23-05-2025
- Sunday World
Jozef Puska's brother couldn't tell gardai more about murder because of back problems
LATEST | Marek Puska (36) is accused of withholding information that was crucial to the investigation into Ashling Murphy's murder Marek Puska (36) is accused of withholding information that was crucial to the investigation into Ms Murphy's murder. He is on trial with his brother Lubomir Puska Jnr (35), who is also accused of withholding information. Their wives, Jozefina Grundzova (31) and Viera Gaziova (38), are accused of impeding Jozef Puska's apprehension or prosecution by burning the clothes he wore when he murdered Ms Murphy. Each accused has pleaded not guilty. Today, Detective Garda Cian Steers told prosecutor Anne-Marie Lawlor SC that on January 14th, 2022, two days after Ms Murphy's murder, Marek agreed to give a voluntary statement at Tullamore Garda Station. He described how the family ended up in Ireland with three brothers, their wives, and 14 children all living in one house in Mucklagh, Tullamore. He described the recent months as "golden times, the best of times", and added: "I swear to god, everyone says they don't see a family like this getting on... We sit and talk and don't argue. Marek Puska. Photo: Collins Courts News in 90 Seconds - May 23rd "The kids are at the top of everything and get everything," he said. He and Jozef, he said, were on disability allowance due to back problems. On January 12, the day of the murder, Marek got up at his usual time of about 12.30pm. Jozef was not home, which was unusual, and he hadn't taken his phone. Marek went into Tullamore to search for Jozef. He visited a casino where Jozef would sometimes go and a plaza near the Bank of Ireland. When he still couldn't find Jozef, he went to a garda station to report his brother missing and the local hospital to ask if anyone named Jozef Puska had checked in. Marek said he went to Dublin that evening but returned to Mucklagh the following day by bus. As he pulled up to the house, he noticed gardai. A Polish garda told him that "someone from my house had killed someone," he said. He asked if she was joking and added: "I did not know how to answer or what to say... is it about me, my brothers? I thought about it and said, No, it is not possible. Ashling Murphy He said nobody who knows his family would say they could kill someone. At the end of the statement, Marek said: "I want to tell you a bit more, but I can't because of the medicine I have taken [for his back]. My doctor told me it can affect my memory." He promised to contact gardai if he remembered anything else, adding: "I want to help." In cross-examination, Det Gda Steers agreed with defence counsel Karl Finnegan SC that at the start of the statement, Marek accurately described Jozef Puska's bicycle and immediately identified the bike when shown a photograph. Det Gda Joanne O'Sullivan told Ms Lawlor that in the following days, gardai became aware that Marek Puska wished to make a further voluntary statement. On the evening of January 18, gardai took Marek to Mullingar Garda Station because all the interview rooms in Tullamore were in use. The jury has previously been told that Jozef Puska was arrested at 11.31am on January 18. Read more Marek told Gda O'Sullivan that when he and Lubomir Jnr were looking for Jozef on the 12th, they received a phone call at about 9pm telling them their brother was at home and in a "poor state" having been "beaten up". He said Jozef had injuries and blood on his head, "like he had been hit", and three holes in his abdomen. When Marek asked him about it, he said Jozef told him it was "not my business" and not to ask questions. Jozef did not want an ambulance and claimed to have self-inflicted the wounds to his abdomen, Marek said. Marek said he didn't believe his brother would do that to himself and cried when Jozef refused an ambulance. He said he is close to his brother, "like two halves of an apple, I can't live without him." Marek said he and Jozef would tell one another everything, and he had been struggling to sleep in the days since seeing the injuries. He described Jozef as the "go-to man" who would "help everyone". He said Jozef did not have mental issues and would talk through any problems he had. Later on the night of the 12th, Marek said his parents arrived in Tullamore and Jozef left with them to go to their house in Dublin. It is alleged that Marek Puska failed to disclose that Jozef had returned home on the night of Ashling's murder with visible injuries and admitted to killing or causing serious injury to a woman. It is further alleged that he knew of the arrangement to burn Jozef's clothes and that Jozef Puska travelled to Dublin later that night. Lubomir Puska Jnr, it is alleged, also withheld that Jozef returned home with visible injuries, admitted to "cutting a female", and travelled to Dublin. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Offences Against the State, Amendment Act 1988. Jozefina Grundzova (31), who is married to Marek Puska, and Viera Gaziova (38), who is married to Lubomir Puska Jnr, are accused of assisting in burning clothing between January 12 and 14th, without reasonable excuse, intending to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska, knowing or believing him to have committed the offence of murder or some other arrestable offence within the same category or of a similar nature. Ms Grundzova and Ms Gaziova pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Criminal Law Act 1997. All the accused have an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly. The trial continues on Monday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
