A man described by the judge as a “menace to society”, who headbutted an arresting garda and left a dog warden with multiple cuts and broken teeth after he hit him with a brick, has been jailed for 4½ years.
John Cash (25) of Labre Park, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a number of offences including dangerous driving, failing to provide a breath test specimen, possession of cannabis, possession of a knife, two charges of assaulting a police officer and assault causing harm on dates between March 5th, 2009, and December 15th, 2010.
He had 65 previous convictions, including burglary, road traffic and public order offences.
Philipp Rahn, defending, said his client had “a significant cognitive difficulty” that had left him with “huge feelings of failure and incompetence”.
Judge Martin Nolan accepted that he had learning difficulties, but said he believed the man knew the “difference between right and wrong” but had difficulty controlling himself.