‘UNACCEPTABLE’ | 

Ex-garda landlord who cut off tenant’s electricity fined €750 for ‘monstrous’ harassment

His defence said Galvin was a ­“gentle giant” but accepted that he went too far in his dispute with the tenant, was “high-handed” and behaved “extraordinarily badly”.

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A landlord who tore a shower from a bathroom wall and cut off his tenant’s electricity has been fined for what a judge said was “monstrous” behaviour.

Former garda Kevin Galvin (50) had the €750 fine handed down yesterday for harassing the tenant, after a court heard he had paid €20,000 he owed the victim from a “civil judgment.”

His defence said Galvin was a ­“gentle giant” but accepted that he went too far in his dispute with the tenant, was “high-handed” and behaved “extraordinarily badly”.

As well as fining him, Judge Mark O’Connell also ordered him to stay away from victim Carlos Pintos for two years.

Galvin, a father of six of Furry Park Road, Killester, pleaded guilty to harassing Mr Pintos at the apartment at Wood Lane, Stoneybatter, on dates between September 2021 and June 2022.

The case was heard at Dublin District Court last week when Judge O’Connell had asked for the issue of the unpaid €20,000 to be addressed.

Galvin was a “gentle giant” but for someone 6ft 7in in height to arrive at the door of someone of smaller stature, it could have been seen as “somewhat threatening,” Mr O’Higgins said.

The accused had no previous convictions but in the past had spent time in custody for contempt of court in an issue he had been stubborn about and “wasn’t for bending” on.

He had issues with the fire-safety authorities, was “paranoid” about this and when he saw a lead being run down a hall in an unsafe manner, it prompted his initial actions, Mr O’Higgins said.

He asked the judge to consider leaving Galvin without a conviction.

“His actions were wholly unacceptable and the court needs to send out a message that this type of behaviour can’t be excused under any circumstances,” Judge O’Connell said, adding that “what Mr Pintos experienced was horrific”.

In December 2021, the hot water stopped working and in March 2022, Galvin entered the property while the victim was there and cut off the electricity. On another date that month, Galvin again entered the flat while Mr Pintos was there, “tore the shower off the wall” and took down the curtains.

In June that year, Mr Pintos was at work when he got a message from Galvin who said he was “in the process of installing CCTV in the flat and would be able to watch him”.

In victim impact evidence, Mr Pintos said the accused would “violently burst into the place” and he was not able to stop him. The effect on him had been “terrible” and he had not been able to “sleep, rest or have a quiet life”.