A MAN who grabbed Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman by the shoulders and verbally abused him with a homophobic slur during an election canvass in Dublin, has been spared jail.
The incident on November 2 happened when the then Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth went door-to-door around the Erris Square, Waterville area in Blanchardstown.
The court heard that O’Gorman had accepted a written apology[/caption]
Salesman Karl Ronan, 45, of Erris Square, Waterville in Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to assaulting Roderic O’Gorman, threatening and abusive behaviour and damaging his clipboard.
Father-of-two Ronan appeared again at Blanchardstown District Court yesterday for a Probation Service assessment to be furnished to Judge David McHugh.
Judge McHugh ordered Ronan to carry out 200 hours of community service instead of a four-month prison sentence.
At an earlier hearing, Judge McHugh noted Ronan had emailed an apology, which O’Gorman had accepted.
The court heard Ronan “lost control”, pushed the TD off his property and threw O’Gorman’s clipboard, which broke off a wall.
Judge David McHugh had described his actions as “appalling”, “deliberate”, and “homophobic, it would appear”.
His solicitor, Simon Fleming, had told the court it was “a shameful act” and “an affront to the whole democratic process”.
However, he stressed that Ronan did not have far-right political views.
His victim impact statement was not read out during the hearing, but the defence solicitor said the politician was “a very compassionate and forgiving” person, and he had accepted Ronan’s apology.
The solicitor said his client had “lost control” and had “made a fool of himself” and would have to deal with the publicity surrounding the case.
Karl Ronan was given 200 hours of community service[/caption]
