Man arrested after complaining to garda about kids in Kildare bookies, court hears

A MAN who went to the guards to complain there were children in his local bookies only to be charged subsequently with threatening and abusive behaviour, and failing to follow a garda direction, had the two charges struck out after the garda witness failed to show up in court.

John Jones (66), with an address at Cucullion, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan was attending a bookies in Newbridge on 28 October 2023.

“I’ve been in here a few times since October ’23, can I explain?” he asked.

He told the judge that he had gone to the bookies to watch Cheltenham, when “several kids were blocking the door … and there were several more inside playing Tig”.

He added: “I told the manager and she laughed at me, I told their father who was playing fruit machines and he laughed at me, so I went over to Newbridge Garda Station and said I wanted to object to the shop’s betting licence when it comes up for renewal.

“I was told by the garda: ‘have you nothing better to be doing with yourself?’"

When Judge Desmond Zaidan heard that the garda witness was not in court, he struck the case out, wanting to bring proceedings to a swift conclusion. 

“One more thing, I used to run a gambling shop, and there are hundreds of people killing themselves over gambling – it’s worse than cocaine or ecstasy and the gardaí don’t seem to care,” said Mr Jones.

“I won’t argue with you,” said the judge. “But the gardaí and I don’t make the law.”