Posted by Abusive behaviour Physical therapist who called gardai ‘prostitutes’ at Covid checkpoint avoids conviction
He approached the Covid checkpoint and appeared to record gardai stopping motorists on his mobile phone, Drogheda District Court heard.
Nicola Donnelly
April 22 2021 11:24 AM
A PHYSICAL therapist who verbally abused gardai manning a Covid checkpoint and called them ‘Prostitutes’ has avoided a conviction.
Vincent Hynes (36) also accused members of the force of “intimidating and harassing members of the public.”
He approached the Covid checkpoint on Seapoint Road in Termonfeckin, Co Louth, and appeared to record gardai stopping motorists on his mobile phone, Drogheda District Court heard.
He was then arrested for a public order offence.
The defendant, of Seapoint Road in Termonfeckin pleaded guilty to using threatening and abusive behaviour at Seapoint Road on March 6
He has six previous convictions including one for no insurance
When he appeared before Judge Eirinn McKiernan, the defendant claimed he “didn’t abuse them, your honour.”
When asked by the judge did he think his “behaviour was acceptable, when gardai were sent out to do a job and engage with the public”, he then responded: “My behaviour was completely unacceptable.”
Defence solicitor Paul Moore said the defendant “had a difficult number of months” for his physical therapist business.
Mr Moore said the defendant has €300 which he can offer as a charitable donation.
Accepting the charity donation, Judge McKiernan allocated it to The Red Door Project and struck the case out, leaving the defendant without a conviction.
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