Guilty plea | 

Drunk North Dublin cyclist is spared conviction after striking glasses from garda’s face

IT worker John Jithin (29) was trying to escape gardaí after stopping to hurl abuse at them

Andrew Phelan

Mon 21 Aug 2023 at 10:30

A drunken cyclist who knocked a gardaí’s glasses off his face, breaking them when he lashed out during an arrest has been spared a criminal record.

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.

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 struck the case out at Dublin District Court after Jithin made a €500 donation to a garda charity.

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

Previously, the court heard he was cycling down Drumcondra Road on May 13 when he began verbally abusing gardaí.

When they approached him he tried to evade them, cycling against oncoming traffic.

Jithin lashed out at the gardaí when arrested, striking one of them on the side of the head, damaging his spectacles, the court heard.