Mum blames gang feud for gardai abuse

Irish Herald

By Eimear Cotter

Wednesday November 19 2008

A MUM who abused gardai told a court she is living in constant fear of her life, due to a feud between rival gangs in her area.

Joanna Daly (37) said one of the gangs threatened to kill her and her 18-year-old son, who has been dragged into the feud.

Daly said she has contacted Dublin City Council and is trying to get a new home for herself and her two teenagers.

Daly admitted to threatening and abusive behaviour and refusing to follow a garda's directions at Shangan Road, Ballymun.

She said she feared for her safety and the safety of her children and her behaviour was due to a belief that the gardai were not doing enough to help her.

Garda Robin Faughnan said gardai were called to Shangan Road, Ballymun on July 14 last to deal with a public order incident. The garda said Daly, who had taken drink, was continually abusive to gardai. She was directed a number of times to go inside her house, which she did, but she came back out and continued to abuse gardai.

Knives

Defence lawyer Brendan Foley said there was a feud between gangs in two areas near to where Daly lives, and her son has become involved in the feud.

Mr Foley said that, on the evening in question, a group of men carrying baseball bats, carjacks, knives and wheel braces pulled up outside Daly's house on Shangan Road, Ballymun.

The men threatened her and told her to send out her son so they could kill him. When she refused to do this they said they were going to kill her.

Gda Faughnan agreed with Mr Foley that the people were outside Daly's house, but said they were there for two or three minutes, and Daly's abusive behaviour lasted four or five hours.

The defendant said her windows had been smashed by these gangs and she was living in fear for her life. She also said she was trying to move away from the area.

The court heard that Daly had seven previous convictions for public order matters.

She is a recovering heroin addict, and is on anti-depressants and valium. She is also a mother to two teenagers. A third child and her former partner had both died as a result of an addiction to heroin.

Judge John Lindsay sentenced Daly to one month in prison suspended for six months.

- Eimear Cotter