Heroin addict bit Cork garda’s hands in ‘vicious’ assault

A heroin addict with a “10 bags a day” addiction was jailed for three years for what the judge described as “a particularly nasty, vicious form of assault” where he bit the hands of an arresting garda.

Donal O’Sullivan, aged 37, who had a previous address at Leitrim St, Cork, appeared in Cork Circuit Criminal Court where Judge Dermot Sheehan imposed a sentence of four years with the last year suspended.

“The guards were trying to control Donal O’Sullivan so that a search could be carried out and he ended up biting Garda Ramsay twice,” said the judge. “He was involved in criminality from the time he was a very young man. He was involved in drugs which is borne out by his list of convictions. He did apologise. But it was a particularly nasty, vicious form of assault.”

Detective Garda Pat Barry testified in the case where the defendant pleaded guilty to having heroin for sale or supply and to assault causing harm to a member of An Garda Síochána: “On April 11, Donal O’Sullivan was arrested for a search when gardaí observed him sitting in a car at Kilmore Rd in Knocknaheeny. A wrap of heroin was found in his sock, and cannabis was found on the floor of the car. There was a follow-up search of his apartment and suspected heroin with a value of €2,150 was found. When he was being brought to a cell at Bridewell Garda Station he bit Garda Brian Ramsay on both hands, drawing blood. Garda Ramsay had to attend hospital for these injuries.”