Garda want me to go to court - I don't want to

LegacyUser

Hi,

So I was attacked and robbed a few months ago. The guys who done it to me were caught and I gave a statement to say I seen them and pointed them out to the garda. They took my wallet, when they were caught they had the same amount of money as I had in my wallet (a large amount).

They are in court soon, the garda want me to go to court, but I really don't want to. I know that this means I won't get my money back.

I just don't think it's worth it as me and my family have already gotten a fair bit of hassle of this guy, his friends and family. I'm afraid it will continue or get worse if I go to court. And the garda can't really do anything about it!

The garda have said if I don't go it will most likley
be thrown out. What would you do?

Roisy7

Do you think the harassment will stop if you DON'T go to court? Because from the sounds of it they're going to harass you because you went to the gardai anyway.

If you don't go to court, worst case scenario, the offenders get a suspended sentence and harassment continues. Best case, they get jail time, you get your money back, harassment stops. It'll probably be somewhere in the middle. And the guards can do something- harassment is a crime!

Personally, I think you should go. I understand it will be a horrible experience, but I don't think you should let these people away with it either.

Do the guards know you and your family are being harassed?

lordgoat

Please go and do the right thing.

I know it's tough but for society to work, it means everyone has to do their part. Imo i this case your part means going to court and being honest.


I would def mention the threats to the Gardai before hand and state your concerns.

Good luck with it.

Merkin

Have you kept a record or have evidence of how they have been hassling you OP?

ted1

Let the Gardai now about the harassment and name sure your the judge knows too.

Gatling

I had a similar experience I was jumped and held at syringe point while my wallet phone and watch was taken,just happened that a hard a car stopped at a traffic light where I managed to signal for help long story short mile and a half foot chase both scum bags were arrested and charged took nearly a year to come to court ,I worked quite close to where the attack happened and on several occasions I was approached in my work place by people making various threat's all happened to be recorded ,when this went to court we got bounced to 4 different rooms before we got a judge to hear the case by some freak accident I ended sitting beside the scum bags and there mammys now I recognised them straight off so a conversation broke out with the scum asking what had I been charged with my reply was car tax or lack of it there reply was they were set up by bent garda and the mammys jumped in with yeah they were at home minding there own business and they were in fact saints,before the detective dealing with the case appeared and copped who I was sitting beside and moved them on to another bench and took me for coffee. Now when my case was heard I has to listen to claims of wrongful arrest and cards set up I was asked then to stand and speak by the judge and I nearly didn't but then I went to full on rage mode ,scum got 7 years with no leave to appeal mammys cried and made threats outside the main suspect father approached myself and a garda and apologized for his son and handed me an envelope with some money for as he said was to make up for his failing as a parent.

Op please make a stand against these people you were wronged you were robbed and deserve justice and recompense these idiots are just trying to prove there hard men when in fact there cowards plain and simple,if you have kids it can set the example of not to speak up when they have been wronged or hurt by someone.

Queen-Mise

Go to court and do the right thing. If you don't go through with the court case then you are basically condoning armed robbery and violence.

I brought a family member to court a few years ago - for something a lot worse. It wasn't fun or pleasant - but you can't let these fcukers get away with this stuff.

And to be honest if you go through with your court case - you will get a name of not to mess with you. If you let it go, you are basically say it is ok to rob you because you won't bring them to court.

jimmycrackcorm

Op, you might not think it is worth it for you and your family's sake. But you can be sure that if you don't the scum will get off and some other family will suffer the same way...

Sycopat

OP, I'm going to tell you to go to court.

I'm not going to tell you to do it because it's the 'right thing' though. You know that. that's why you're conflicted about it.

If you've been living in ireland for a while you probably already know how our scumbags work.

In the eyes of these people you've already gone to the guards.

While they think you might go to the guards again, the worst thing they can do is give a bit of hassle. And not too much at that.

If you don't go to court they will hold this over you for a long time, and they will bully you about it.

Make no mistake, you will not get a quieter life by not going to court.

Go to court and, win or lose, they'll know they shouldn't mess with you. That's no guarantee they won't, but it's a hell of a lot better than letting them know that you'll crack anytime they intimidate you a bit.

jellyboy

Have you tried contacting victim support
http://www.crimevictimshelpline.ie

This provides support to people going to court
http://www.vsac.ie/what-we-offer/how-we-help/

Have a chat with them ? and then make your mind up ,i concur with all the posters about going to court ,but then again I'm not going and its a tough ask to do ,only you can make that decision...

IrishEyes19

At the end of the day, you make the choice, But they will never stop. That's what the harassment and threats aim to do, break you down so that you wont turn up, makes their lives easier because they get off free and will have no fear targeting you or others again.

The Big Red Button

I don't know why it's necessary for you to go to court.

Two junkies tried to mug me a couple of years back. I gave my statement to Gardaí immediately afterwards. When it came to court, for the first guy, I was asked if I wanted to go to court as a witness. But the Gardaí never put any pressure on me. They did take another statement from me, a victim impact statement (this was several months later), that was to be read out in court. And yer man was convicted and got a two-year sentence.

The second court case, for the other guy, is coming up soon; again, the Gardaí have said that they'll keep me informed in case I want to go to court (either as a witness, or just to be there to see it) - again, I probably won't go, and I appreciate not being pressurised into it.

If I thought me being there would have any impact on the conviction or sentencing - yeah, I guess I'd have to do it. I couldn't not do it, in good conscience, if I thought that they might get out sooner and do the same to someone else.

Just wondering why the Gardaí are saying you have to go to court? And did they actually say to you that you won't get your money back otherwise? Or are you just guessing that?

I really don't understand why they're saying to you that the case may be thrown out if you don't show up. Surely the fact that you've been intimidated by the people involved should be taken into account? Why wouldn't the evidence, including your statement, be enough? It's a criminal case, not a civil one - surely what the Gardaí have compiled should be enough on it's own, without you physically being there?

In my own case, the junkies were completely drugged up when it happened. So they probably didn't even remember what I looked like. And the name that would've been read out in court etc would've been my legal name (my mother's maiden name), whereas my dad's name is the name I generally use day-to-day - this made me feel pretty comfortable that they'd be unable to track me down. I didn't want to give up that anonymity, which is the main reason I didn't want to go to court as a witness - I was still living in the area at the time, and was afraid of being recognised by them or by their friends/family who might be in court.

I'd say go and have a good chat with the Garda you're dealing with. To me, it doesn't seem fair that they're putting this pressure on you.