A WEXFORD man who impersonated a garda after becoming frustrated in traffic has been ordered to pay €700 to the woman he lectured on Wexford Bridge.
Tony Breen (27), of Pineridge, Wexford, has pleaded guilty to impersonating a garda on August 28th, 2008, when he got out of his van and approached the car in front of him, which was being driven by Bernie Farragher of Ballygow, Bannow.
Insp Pat McDonald said Ms Farragher was stopped on Wexford Bridge at about 4.15pm when a man approached her car’s side window.
Ms Farragher said Mr Breen had a key-ring with a Garda emblem and told her that he was an off-duty garda.
Ms Farragher said he lectured her about paying attention to traffic and then walked around to the front of the vehicle as if to check her tax and insurance.
He then came back around to her and demanded to see her driving licence, also asking for her name and address. When she asked him for his name he said it was John Murphy, and that he was stationed in Wexford.
A colleague of Ms Farragher’s was behind Mr Breen’s van in the traffic and took down its details. A report was then made to the Garda which led them quickly to Mr Breen, who has no previous convictions.
Judge Ó Buachalla remanded him on continuing bail until July 6th on the basis that €700 is made available on that date to compensate Ms Farragher.