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Trinity law student struck garda’s face after ‘rats’ remark

By July 5, 2019 No Comments

A TRINITY college law student struck a female garda in the face while being searched after she was arrested for hurling abuse at officers.

Tanya Felloni (29) carried out the assault after telling another garda: “I say rats, you say garda.”

She had become “argumentative and difficult” at a west Dublin garda station following a row over a taxi fare.

Judge Gerard Jones warned Felloni he wanted to see a “glowing” probation report with a convincing reason not to jail her for three months and said “I don’t care if she is in Trinity or wherever she is.”

Felloni, a single mother-of-two from Parkhill Lawn, Tallaght pleaded guilty to asaulting a garda at Clondalkin Garda Station.

She also admitted using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at nearby Orchard Lane, Clondalkin.

Garda Sergeant Maria Callaghan told Blanchardstown District Court a taxi driver came to the station at 2.55am last November 11 and gardai were speaking to him when Felloni shouted: “f**k the garda, I say rats, you say garda, f**k you, you prick.”

She was arrested when she failed to leave and in the course of a search, she hit a garda in the face.

A victim statement outlined the “significant impact” the assault had had on the garda, the court heard.

Felloni offered “heartfelt apologies” to the gardai and accepted the consequences of her actions, her solicitor Matthew Kenny said.

She had had a very difficult childhood, which “may well have left a scar on her.”

Notwithstanding raising two children on her own, she was putting herself through a degree course in Trinity College.

Things got “far too out of hand” on the night in question and she assaulted a garda who was “doing her duty and trying to assist Ms Felloni.”

Adjourning the case to September for a probation report, Judge Jones said: “I want a very convincing reason why she shouldn’t be sent to Dochas. How dare she assault a garda?”

He said he was giving the accused “no guarantees” about how he would deal with the case.

She was remanded on continuing bail.

Online Editors