Swinford man jailed for an 'appalling' assault on garda
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar District Court.
A Swinford man with an extensive criminal history has been jailed for assaulting two members of An Garda Síochána, including spitting into one garda’s mouth.
Paul Howley, aged 39, of 22 Brabazon Heights, Swinford, appeared before Castlebar District Court last Thursday where he pleaded guilty to two charges of assault causing harm.
The court heard that the offences occurred on August 26, 2025, while Howley was being arrested and conveyed to court in relation to a separate public order matter.
Gda Sgt Conor McShane outlined that while in custody, Howley became violent and kicked Gda John Garrett in the hand, causing injury and forcing the garda off duty for a week.
Howley was later being transferred from Castlebar Courthouse to the local garda station when he spat at Gda Sgt Conor Drury, striking him in the mouth. Sgt Drury was taken to Mayo University Hospital (MUH) for screening for HIV and other blood-borne viruses and subsequently received a clear result, but he still has to attend a final appointment in the new year.
In a victim impact statement, Gda Sgt Drury described feeling degraded and humiliated by the assault, stating it involved a full mouthful of saliva that had congealed in Howley’s mouth. The incident had impacted his confidence and made him more cautious in carrying out his duties. It occurred in a public place and was captured on CCTV and witnessed by a taxi driver, whom he thanked for intervening and restoring his faith in the community.
Gda Sgt Drury said he was off work for a month while undergoing medical tests and described the experience as deeply distressing.
Judge Sandra Murphy described the assaults, particularly the spitting incident, as “appalling” and among the most serious cases to come before the District Court.
She said interference with gardaí carrying out their duties strikes at the heart of the administration of justice and noted that the harm extended beyond physical injury to the psychological impact on the injured gardaí and their colleagues.
The court was told that Howley has approximately 40 previous convictions, including one for threatening to kill or cause serious harm, and that the offences were committed while he was on bail.
Taking aggravating factors into account, and noting the absence of a written or in-court apology, Judge Murphy imposed a five-month prison sentence for the assault on Gda Sgt Drury, suspending the final month on strict probation conditions. These include engagement with addiction counselling and community mental health services.
A further three-month prison sentence was imposed for the assault on Gda Garrett, to run consecutively to the other term.
Howley is currently in custody, but Judge Murphy refused to back-date the sentence, stating it was inappropriate given the time spent on bail.
- Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.
