Two men have been jailed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for setting a pit bull terrier on a garda.
David Crowley and Alan Lawless waited for Garda Mark Clark to come out of a meeting before setting the dog on him.
Crowley (23), Bride Street, Dublin, and Lawless (22), Weaver's Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault at Heytesbury Street on April 28th, 1998. Their plea came after a jury was selected to hear the case.
Sgt Michael O'Brien told the court that Garda Clark protected himself with his baton and was not injured. Judge Dominic Lynch said gardai must be protected from intimidation. He added that the courts had dealt leniently with both accused in the past and they had not availed of opportunities offered to them. He jailed them for two years and four months each.