Drunk businessman who threw punch at garda over parked car incident avoids jail

Raal Nordin (52) "took some drinks on board" while waiting for gardaí to arrive, got frustrated and became aggressive.

Judge Gerard Jones struck the case out after Nordin made a €500 charity donation.

He said the accused was lucky he had not connected with the garda, or he could have been jailed.

Nordin, with an address at Church Street, Templemore, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at Ventry Park, Cabra, last March 1.

Gardaí were dealing with a traffic accident at the scene when the accused left his car, which was parked in a driveway.

Nordin approached the gardaí and became aggressive.

When asked to leave the area, he verbally abused the gardaí, shouting repeatedly.

Nordin was intoxicated, continued to approach the gardaí and tried to punch one.

The accused was from South Africa and had business interests in Ireland, his solicitor said.

There was a road traffic incident and Nordin had an altercation with a man who parked up at where the accused was visiting friends.

Gardaí took some time to arrive and during this time, Nordin "had taken some drinks on board."

He was frustrated that this man was still parked outside and "took matters into his own hands", his lawyer said.

He should not have done this, the lawyer said. Judge Jones asked why the accused threw a punch at a garda.

Nordin did not recall doing this, but accepted the facts, the lawyer said.

There was no malice to it, but he felt the gardaí had sided with the other man.

Judge Jones said Nordin was "a lucky man he's not going to Mountjoy."