Limerick shop manager punched and bitten by woman 'under the influence'
The manager of Gleeson's Spar shop on Catherine Street in the city centre, Seaghan Gleeson, was assaulted during a 'public order incident', which occurred on July 9 at approximately 4pm.
Gardaí attended the scene and a spokesperson said the woman, aged in her 40s, was arrested and conveyed to a Garda station in Limerick city.
She has since been released without charge and investigations are ongoing.
Mr Gleeson, who was brought to University Hospital Limerick by an ambulance, told the Irish Examiner the incident was 'traumatic'.
' She had taken a bottle of Coke and put it in her pants. I confronted her and asked her to take it out and then leave. She refused to give it to me and eventually, opened it and began to pour it on the ground,' he recalled.
Mr Gleeson told his employees to call the gardaí and not to get involved, as he tried to keep the woman away from everyone else. At that point, the shop's doors were closed, with customers and staff watching the incident unfold.
Mr Gleeson said the woman bit him about four times, before claiming she was HIV positive. He said the woman also spat at him.
Despite anti-social incidents occurring often in the shop, he said this one was 'on a whole different level'.
'It's pretty traumatic. I asked my staff to stay away and to ring the gardaí. I tried to deal with it myself because it's just very hard to keep staff. Most of my staff are very good, so it's just important that I try and deal with it myself, and show that I am willing to be the person to deal with it,' he added.
Video of the incident at the store in Limerick.
Mr Gleeson was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, where he said he was advised to get tested for HIV. He is waiting for the results to come back.
Mr Gleeson, who got engaged last weekend, said the ordeal 'put a bit of a downer on the move'.
His father and the shop's owner, Shane Gleeson, said the woman was barred from the shop for anti-social behaviour.
'She has been intimidating and bullying us for some time," Shane said. "She's not allowed in because of her behaviour."
He said the woman bit his son on the face and punched him 20 times in the space of one minute. "I just stopped counting at 20."
The video, sent to the Irish Examiner, shows the woman trying to take items as Mr Gleeson tries to stop her. The footage shows her being verbally abusive towards Mr Gleeson.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Man arrested as herbal cannabis valued at more than €2m seized at Cork port
A man has been arrested after Revenue officers seized more than €2 million worth of herbal cannabis in Cork. The 107kg seizure was made on Sunday at the Port of Cork, with the assistance of detector dog Rua. The drugs were discovered in a trailer originating from Croatia, which had disembarked a vessel arriving from Zeebrugge in Belgium. Valued at €2.1 million, the haul was part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting organised crime groups and the importation, sale and supply of illegal drugs. READ MORE A man in his 50s was arrested and is being held at a Garda station in in the Southern Region. Investigations are ongoing. If businesses or members of the public have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Teen boy rushed to hospital in critical condition after being struck by car in late-night crash as Dublin road closed
A TEENAGE boy has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after being struck by a car in Dublin 22 late last night. The youngster, aged in his late teens, was cycling a bike on the R113, Fonthill Road South in No other injuries were reported as a result of the crash but the cyclist is currently critical in Gardai confirmed this morning that they have launched an investigation into the horror collision. The R113 road has been closed as Garda Forensic Collision Investigators carry out an examination of the scene. READ MORE IRISH NEWS Local traffic diversions are in place on Fonthill Road South, between the junctions with Cherrywood Avenue and St John's Road. Officers have urged anyone who may be able to assist in their investigation to get in touch with gardai. A spokesperson said: "Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the incident to come forward. "Road users who may have relevant camera footage (including dash-cam) and were traveling in the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí. MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN "Anyone with information is asked to contact Clondalkin Garda Station at 01 666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station." Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads Separately, an appeal has been issued after a woman sustained "life-threatening injuries' following a The incident occurred on the N13 Letterkenny to Ballybofey road in the townland of Listillion around 5.05pm. The Gardai said the woman is being treated for life-threatening injuries and there were no other injuries reported. 'ONGOING' PROBE Cops have asked anyone with information - particularly those with dashcam footage - to come forward. A garda spokesperson said: "Any persons who were on the N13 at Listillion between 4:50pm and 5:15pm and who may have witnessed the incident should contact investigating Gardai. 'Any road users who were travelling in the vicinity at the time, and who may have camera footage including dash cam, are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. 'Gardai can be contacted at Letterkenny Garda Station on 074 9167100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. 'Investigations are ongoing.' 1 The R113 road in Clondalkin has been closed between Cherrywood Avenue and St John's Road Credit: Google Streetview
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
New Garda commissioner faces challenge of expanding force as retirements set to rise
Hopes that a surge in departures from An Garda Síochána during the Covid-19 pandemic was part of the 'great resignation' from the workforce appear to have been optimistic. Resignations surged by almost 250 per cent in the four years to 2023 – to 171 – before declining by 20 per cent last year, raising hopes the worrying trend was dissipating. But the latest figures show there were 68 resignations in the first half of this year. That means the pace this year is keeping up with that of last year, when 138 Garda members resigned – opting out before being eligible to retire on a full pension. When the new Garda commissioner is appointed on Tuesday, to succeed Garda Commissioner Drew Harris after seven years in the job, he or she will have another major headache. READ MORE Between 30 and 40 years ago, a recruitment drive was undertaken by the Garda because of the security challenges posed by the Troubles. This generation is now coming to retirement age. It means we are set for a decade-long increase in Garda retirements at the precise time recruitment is sluggish and resignations appear stuck at about 140 per year. It will all impact on Garda numbers and make it harder to provide a quality policing service, from responding to 999 calls to investigating crimes and catching the perpetrators. And yet the Government is continuing to make promises of hiring 1,000 new gardaí per year, increasing the force's strength to 15,000 members and then continuing to expand until it reaches 18,000. [ Garda numbers begin to grow, though 15,000-strong target will take four more years Opens in new window ] The requirement for a 15,000-strong Garda force was first mooted in a submission to Government by then Garda commissioner Noel Conroy 20 years ago, citing population growth and other factors. When Conroy called for 15,000 gardaí, the Republic's population was 4.13 million. It had increased to 5.5 million by April 2023, according to the most recent estimate available from the Central Statistics Office. The force was growing in early 2020, and would likely be at 15,000 by now, or close to it, before the pandemic struck and the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, was forced to close. But since it reopened, with the economy booming, hiring gardaí has proven more difficult. However, Garda Headquarters said numbers in the force have been rising for some time and had reached 14,318. The resignation rate was 'approximately 1 per cent' per year. This compared with up to 10 per cent in some British police forces and 10 to 20 per cent in the private sector. The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents more than 11,000 rank-and-file gardaí, said the drop in resignations last year appears to have been a 'false dawn'. 'Coupled with the fact that almost 1,900 gardaí are eligible to take up retirement over the next three years, it appears that the target of a Garda strength of 15,000-plus is now just a pipe dream,' said GRA general secretary Ronan Slevin. He believed incentives were needed to retain more gardaí, which would also make the force more attractive to potential recruits. It was 'imperative' the new commissioner addressed the issue. The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), said in light of population growth, it was clear an 18,000-strong force was needed; a target Harris suggested in the early years of his commissionership. AGSI general secretary Ronan Clogher said gardaí were required to take on a higher workload, which had become acute and was having a 'corrosive' impact. He was 'worried' as resignations were no longer largely confined to young rank-and-file members of the force, with sergeants and inspectors now also leaving to take up other jobs. [ Garda numbers crisis: 'We could lose 30% to 50% of our organisation in five years' Opens in new window ]
