'No one should have to go through this' - Garda left the force after vicious attack in An Rinn
The case was heard at Waterford Circuit Court.
A Garda left the the force after suffering an attack from a man he was arresting in Waterford.
Paidi Foley (26) appeared at Waterford Circuit Court to be sentenced for committing a Section 3 assault against a member of An Garda Síochána.
On December 19, 2022, Gardaí were called to his home in Ballynagaul, in An Rinn, to attend the report of a disturbance. When they came to the address, they were accosted by Foley, who was described as being both drunk and aggressive.
He shouted at the two officers "F**k off you c**ts if you come here I'll f**king kill you. I'll get you you f**king c**ts, I'll find out where you live and murder you."
After grabbing the officer's stab vest, he tried to wrestle him to the ground, shouting: "I can't wait to get my hands on you."
One Garda suffered a lower back injury during the incident. In his victim impact statement he detailed how he left the force the following year and had suffered a slipped disc and poor mental health. He wrote how the threat against him and his family impacted on him mentally.
He stated: "No one should have to go through this."
The Court heard that Foley had no previous convictions but did have "brushes with the law".
Defence counsel Gareth Hayden BL informed Judge Eugene O'Kelly that his client was "under pressure" at the time because his girlfriend was pregnant but accepts that his behaviour was "unforgivable". His employer Blackrock Construction gave a reference.
Judge O'Kelly sentenced Foley to two years and three months in prison, with one year suspended.
