GARDA OBSTRUCTION | 

Drunken cyclist lashed out and knocked garda’s glasses off, court told

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​A DRUNKEN cyclist knocked a garda’s glasses off his face when he lashed out as he was being arrested on a city street.

IT worker John Jithin (29) was trying to escape gardaí after stopping to hurl abuse at them over a supposed “injustice” as they were dealing with another incident, a court heard.

Jithin had mixed alcohol with medication, mistakenly thought he was safe to cycle and “misread” a situation when he came upon the officers carrying out their duties.

Judge Bryan Smyth said he would strike the case out, sparing him a criminal record if he made a €500 donation to a garda charity.

Jithin, of Western Way, Phibsborough, pleaded guilty to cycling under the influence, being drunk and a danger to traffic, threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and garda obstruction.

Dublin District Court heard the accused was cycling down Drumcondra Road on May 13 when he began verbally abusing gardaí who were dealing with an incident.

When approached by the gardai, he turned in the opposite direction and actively tried to evade them, cycling against oncoming traffic.

Jithin was highly intoxicated and became extremely aggressive when arrested, lashing out at the gardaí, Sgt Maire McDevitt said.

He struck one of them on the side of the head, damaging his spectacles, the court heard.

Jithin had no previous convictions. The accused was prescribed medication and had been drinking on the night, his solicitor Cahir O’Higgins said.

“He felt he was safe to cycle, he clearly wasn’t,” Mr O’Higgins said.

“He saw what he thought was an injustice occurring, it wasn’t at all. He misread the situation utterly and remonstrated with the gardaí.”

The garda had just been trying to do his job, had no awareness of the accused and thought he was a “smart alec drunk on a bicycle giving the garda abuse and impertinence,” the solicitor said.

“My client became fearful and scared and took off on the bicycle to get away from what he thought was a threat to himself,” he said.

It was not a threat but was “all in his head,” he said.

The garda’s glasses were knocked off in the course of the arrest and this was not deliberate; otherwise the accused would be facing a more serious charge, Mr O’Higgins said.

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The incident had forced Jithin to “look at his life and behaviour” and realise that if you were on medication “you have to be careful with alcohol.”

The accused was here on a visa, and a criminal conviction would be very significant for him. The judge adjourned the case for payment of the charity donation.