A Limerick man, described as one of the "main protagonists" in a riot between members of feuding factions outside the city courthouse in August, has been jailed for 15 months.
Alan Kelly (18), with addresses in Rathbane, Garryowen and Delmege Park, Moyross, all in Limerick, was sentenced at Limerick District Court yesterday for a series of offences, including a public order charge relating to the riot on August 30th.
Garda John Houlihan told the court that Kelly, with 39 previous convictions, was outside the court when a row broke out between rival factions.
He was observed picking up a stone and throwing it at members of the opposing gang.
At a previous court hearing, Judge Leo Malone - who was forced to flee the court room during the fracas - was told that Kelly was "one of the main protagonists" in the violent row.
Judge Tom O'Donnell yesterday jailed Kelly for six months for his part in the riot.
Before imposing the sentence, Judge O'Donnell heard evidence of other charges, including details of an incident in Delmege Park on June 25th last when Kelly threw a rock at a Garda patrol car damaging the vehicle.
The court also heard how on September 24th, Kelly called a garda on duty in Moyross offensive names and shouted: "Do you think I give a f**k about [Judge] Tom O'Donnell?"
On October 6th, Kelly used a hatchet to smash the window of a car which gardaí believed had been used in an earlier shooting in Moyross, the court heard.
On October 10th, gardaí were again carrying out duties in the Moyross area when Kelly shouted at a man who had been shot in the face the previous night: "Get out, you're dead, you f**king rat."
Solicitor John Devane, defending, told the court he accepted his client was "effectively out of control" and very volatile but he argued that he was also very easily led.
Judge O'Donnell said it was "an understatement" to say the defendant was out of control.
The judge described Kelly's behaviour in Moyross and in Limerick city as "nothing short of disgraceful".
He said the teenager could not go around the streets of Limerick abusing and intimidating people and he jailed him for a total of 15 months on the various charges.