Belmullet surveillance uncovered underage drinking haunts
Parents must supervise school graduation balls - JudgeSTRINGENT measures to clamp down on underage drinking in Belmullet are being put in place by the Garda Siochana, Judge Harvey Kenny was told at Castlebar Circuit Court, sitting in Westport. Judge Kenny appealed to parents and teachers to take an interest in young people's functions, particularly graduation and debs balls. He was speaking during a review of a case against Sean Gaughan, 23 Seaside, Belmullet, who had appeared before the court on a charge of assault. The court was told the accused had caused serious injury to his friend after they were fighting and he fell over a wall, fracturing his skull. He now had some permanent deafness in one ear. He said the Judge had previously heard about the amount of drink involved and the sale of drink to a 15-year-old girl. It was her intoxication which gave rise to the dispute. The Judge had adjourned the case for an investigation to find out how the girl got the drink. Two premises in Belmullet were pinpointed where the drink was available. In one case the drink was bought directly and in the other someone older purchased it for them. Garda Richard Taheny told the court the Gardai had visited all the premises in Belmullet and made them aware of the situation of selling drink to people under eighteen. They monitored all the premises and especially the two pinpointed. This involved member unknown to the area coming in and keeping ongoing surveillance. From their visits to them before Christmas and feedback, they had become very particular about who is admitted to the premises and the ages of people being served. The Gardai had become very particular about who got ID cards and had put in place a mechanism with door staff that they have to checked identification. They had also been in contact with the schools. Judge Kenny said he would like to see the teachers and parents get involved in supervisory position at young people's functions. The Judge heard the defendant, Sean Gaughan, had not come to the notice of the Gardai since. The victim was managing as best he could. At times he complained of headaches and his balance was not what it should be and he was deaf in one ear. The sum of £100 was lodged each week by way of compensation. No penalty was imposed on the defendant at the previous court sitting. Judge Kenny said it was his view this row would not have happened if drink had not been sold to a 15-year-old. The row involved pushing and shoving and a box or two and would have been a very uneventful row. In the course of the fighting they fell over a low wall and landed some five or six feet into a hard surface. Gaughan was fortunate in that he did not suffer injuries and it was the other man who was injured. It could have been the other way round. Judge Kenny said in such circumstances he found it difficult to impose a jail sentence on Gaughan at this stage. He said some responsibility must be attached to adults in the area who allowed these youngsters go off into the night in buses, full of drink, and not take any notice of what is happening. He wanted parents to take a much bigger interest in these graduation balls and end of school parties. There must be no drink at them. The only way was for teachers and parents to go along and keep an eye on the situation. Judge Kenny said he had seen under 18's all dressed up drinking pints. "That is wrong and it should be wiped out." He said he would put the case against Sean Gaughan back for a year to see how he progressed. He noted £100 a week was being paid and a final compensation order would be made when sentence was being passed in twelve months time. |
