Westport man receives prison sentence for abuse to garda

A WESTPORT native who ‘ran wild’ following the death of his father when he was 12 years old received a one-month sentence for being abusive to gardaí.
Peter Collins with an address at 15 Collinstown Cresent, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, appeared in Castlebar District Court charged with threatening and abusive behaviour in Westport on July 13, 2017.
The 24-year-old was also served with a Book of Evidence in relation to a separate offence after being charged with assault causing harm for an offence in Westport on October 8, 2011. The court heard that in November 2014, Mr Collins received a four-year prison sentence from Southampton Crown Court for battery and causing grievous bodily harm.
Garda Darren Conlon explained that while on duty on July 13 last, he received a report of dangerous driving along the Golf Course Road, Westport, at 5.20pm. They located the car involved but it was parked and was unoccupied.
While inspecting the vehicle, Garda Conlon said Mr Collins approached in a violent and aggressive manner and objected to the seizure of the car. He was under the influence of an intoxicant and was arrested and brought to Westport Garda Station.
While in custody, gardaí discovered there was a bench warrant for his arrest from Westport District Court in 2012. Garda Conlon said the following day Mr Collins apologised for his behaviour.  Mr Collins has been in custody since July 14 when an application for bail was refused on grounds of flight risk.
Mr John Gordon, solicitor for the defendant said that up until the time of his arrest he was living with his partner and three-year-old son. Following the death of Mr Collins’s father in 2006, Mr Gordan said the family moved to Dublin, but the children, including the accused, were allowed to run wild and eventually taken into care.

‘Drinking all the time’
Mr Collins also lived in Westport for two years with his uncle but he described those years as a blur because he was drinking all the time. Mr Gordon said his client has undergone counselling and has a new insight into his circumstances.
Judge Deirdre Gearty said she was satisfied that Mr Collins had a difficult upbringing and hoped he would be able to deal with his issues and move on. She imposed a one-month sentence but backdated the sentence to July 14.
In relation to the service of the Book of Evidence, Mr Collins was remanded in custody to appear before the next sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on October 3.