Man who called gardaí paedophiles is given a suspended sentence
Judge Geraldine Carthy
A TULLOW man who intervened when gardaí were dealing with teenagers on the town’s main street has been convicted of a public order offence.
John Nolan, Hillbrook Estate, Tullow was convicted under section 8 of the after Judge Geraldine Carthy said he had failed to comply with a garda direction through “his own admission” during evidence.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of 9 December 2023 on Main Street, Tullow when Garda Shane Ryan and Garda Cormac Corcoran were dealing with youths in relation to a public order matter.
Garda Ryan told the court that Mr Nolan (38) came from a side street and began shouting at them as they dealt with a teenager who had given their patrol car the middle finger.
“He started to say Tullow was his town and we were only blow-ins. He called us paedophiles while members of the public were present,” Garda Ryan said.
The garda said Mr Nolan was given a direction to leave the area in a peaceful manner but he refused. His mother and sister then “intervened” and brought him away, with his mother getting in front of him and pushing him back as he continued “shouting and roaring” as he got into the car.
Under cross-examination by defence solicitor Chris Hogan, Garda Ryan denied attempting to search a 15-year-old boy at the side of the road.
“I never touched him. I had no interest in searching him, I just wanted his details,” replied Garda Ryan.
When it was put to him that his colleague’s statement said the defendant “was not letting us search this young male”, Garda Ryan replied that Garda Corcoran “got his wires crossed”.
A teenage boy, now 16, gave evidence via video link and said the garda car pulled up as he and a friend walked into town. “They asked to search me and I said no, they had no right, that I was under age. They proceeded to search me with gloves. This is when John (Nolan) ran over to help me,” the teenager told the court.
He said Mr Nolan asked what age he was and when he answered 14, he told him to go, “that they’d no right to keep me there”.
The boy’s friend also gave evidence via video link, saying “one guard started to get aggressive, he started pushing him (my friend). Mr Nolan came over to help him out. Then the guard started getting aggressive with Mr Nolan.”
Taking the stand, Mr Nolan said he was about to walk into a chipper when he saw the patrol car arrive quickly.
He said: “I went over and asked what’s going on. I’d never let anyone bully the younger generation, so I tried to defuse the situation.”
He denied calling the gardaí names, saying: “I’d never let my son go through the torment of me calling the gardaí names.” Invoking “his brother’s grave”, he said he never called the gardaí paedophiles.
“I said I know you can’t search them when they’re a certain age. One garda was pushing me, going on about section whatever. If you don’t believe me, there are cameras there,” added Mr Nolan.
Judge Carthy, after hearing all the evidence, said: “Mr Nolan has by his own admission not complied with section 8.”
The court heard Mr Nolan has 16 previous convictions, nine relating to the . His most recent conviction was in 2023 for dangerous driving for which he received a three month sentence suspended for one year.
Mr Hogan said that in fairness to his client, the offences dated from 2015, over ten years ago and that he was currently doing part-time work as a plasterer.
Judge Carthy noted that “although he fully contested section 8 he is convicted of the same through his own evidence” and imposed a five month sentence suspended for 12 months entirely, directing him to be of good behaviour.
