Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 24055Obstructing a peace officer · Co. Longford · 10 Aug 2019

Longford man pleads guilty to obstructing peace officer

On 10 August 2019 gardaí were called to a domestic disturbance at Knockloughlin, Ballinalee Road, Longford, where Garda Angela Keegan and Garda Shane Carr were assaulted during a violent row. Martin Nevin Jnr (22) and Hugh Myers (54) were charged with assaulting a peace officer, and Martin Nevin Snr (64) was charged with obstructing a peace officer during his son's arrest. In June 2022 Martin Nevin Jnr was sentenced to four years in prison with the final year suspended for five years, and Hugh Myers's sentencing was adjourned to a later date. In November 2022 Martin Nevin Snr pleaded guilty to obstructing gardaí and was told he could avoid a custodial term by making a charity donation.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court15 Jan
    2 reports
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced15 Jun
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gardaí were called to a domestic disturbance at the Nevin family home shortly after 9pm, and three officers arrived at the scene.
  • Martin Nevin Jnr, who was intoxicated and had received treatment for an eye injury, became belligerent and attempted to headbutt an officer and to gouge the eyes of Garda Carr while on the ground.
  • Hugh Myers and another family member allegedly joined in and attacked the two gardaí, and Garda Carr was reportedly knocked to the ground, dragged, punched and kicked.
Cause
Family members had contacted gardaí seeking the removal of Martin Nevin Jnr from the family home.
Where
  • The incident took place at Knockloughlin, Ballinalee Road, Longford, on 10 August 2019, and Hugh Myers lives at 18 Ardleigh Crescent, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
  • Martin Nevin Jnr's address is given as 59 Parkmore, Tuam, Co Galway in one report and as 1 Knockloughlin, Longford in another.
Weapon
Gardaí deployed pepper spray, which squirted into Garda Carr's eyes and incapacitated him, and reports say Hugh Myers approached Garda Keegan with a silver object and threatened her.
Other details
  • Garda Keegan sustained injuries to her eye, face, knees and abdomen and was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, and she was off work for almost four weeks.
  • Garda Carr was off duty from August 2019 until January 2020 and continued to suffer lower back pain as a result of the incident.
Charges
  • Martin Nevin Jnr and Hugh Myers were charged with assaulting a peace officer in the course of their duties, and Martin Nevin Snr was charged with obstructing a peace officer during his son's arrest and was not arrested.
  • Hugh Myers pleaded guilty to two counts of assault of a police officer and Martin Nevin Jnr pleaded guilty to one count of the same offence.
In court
The case was first heard in the District Court, where Judge Seamus Hughes refused jurisdiction, and was then heard at Longford Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Keenan Johnson, who described the incident as absolutely and wholly reprehensible and warned that the actions warranted significant custodial sentences.
Sentence
  • Martin Nevin Jnr was sentenced in June 2022 to four years in prison with the final year suspended for five years, and Hugh Myers is to be sentenced at a later date.
  • Martin Nevin Snr, who had not come to garda attention for 27 years, pleaded guilty in November 2022 and was told he could avoid a custodial term by making a charity donation.
69 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí were called to a domestic disturbance shortly after 9pm. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatNevin Jnr attempted to head butt Garda Carr. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatNevin Jnr attempted to gouge the eye of Garda Carr. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatGarda Keegan used pepper spray to diffuse the row. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatFamily members of Martin Nevin Jnr contacted gardaí seeking his removal from the family home in Knockloughlin. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe gardaí were met by four females described as being in an excited and agitated state. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMr Myres told his nephew he did not have to comply with the request to remain where he was. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMr Nevin Jnr called Garda Carr 'a cancerous dying b*******' while attempting to head butt him. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMr Nevin Jnr attempted to gouge the eye of Garda Carr on the ground. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Keegan was forced to use pepper spray to diffuse the row. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatSome pepper spray squirted into the eyes of Garda Carr and incapacitated the officer. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Keegan said she had never experienced such evil and contempt in her frontline policing career. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Carr continued to suffer from lower back pain as a result of the incident. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Carr said he no longer felt confident in dealing with volatile situations. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe report was that Martin Nevin Jr was assaulting his pregnant wife (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Jr and Hugh Myers were sitting on the couch when Gardaí entered (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe two men were intoxicated (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMr Myers and another family member joined in and attacked the two Gardaí (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMr Myers approached Garda Keegan with a silver object and threatened her (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Carr was knocked to the ground, dragged, punched and kicked (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Carr was off duty from August 2019 until January 2020 (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Keegan was diagnosed with PTSD (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatGarda Keegan received an injury to her eye, bruising to her face and knees, and soft tissue injuries (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Snr is 64 years old (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe matter arose following a call regarding a domestic incident at the Nevin family home (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThree officers arrived at the scene (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Jnr was in the living room in an intoxicated state (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe officers asked Martin Nevin Jnr to leave the premises (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Jnr became belligerent to gardaí (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatHugh Myers told Martin Nevin Jnr not to leave (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Jnr attempted to headbutt one of the officers (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThere was a struggle in which people fell to the ground (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Jnr had received treatment for an eye injury at the time (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe officers deployed pepper spray (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Snr intervened when the officers pepper-sprayed his son (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Snr obstructed the peace officers in the course of the arrest of Martin Nevin Jnr (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Snr was not arrested but charged with the offence (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatMartin Nevin Snr had not come to Gardaí attention for 27 years (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place at Knockloughlin, Ballinalee Road, Longford. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place at Knockloughlin, Ballinalee Road, Longford on 10 August 2019. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereMartin Nevin Jnr has an address at 59 Parkmore, Tuam, Co Galway (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereHugh Myers is of 18 Ardleigh Crescent, Mullingar, Co Westmeath (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereGardaí responded to a call at an address in Knockloughlin, Ballinalee, Co Longford (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereMartin Nevin Snr lives at 1 Knockloughlin, Longford (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereHugh Myers lives at 18 Ardleigh Crescent, Mullingar (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereMartin Nevin Jnr lives at 1 Knockloughlin, Longford (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe incident took place on 10 August 2019. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenGarda Keegan and Garda Carr were called to deal with a domestic disturbance shortly after 9pm. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 10 August 2019 (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenGardaí arrived at the address at 9.15pm (longfordleader.ie)
  • causeFamily members had contacted gardaí seeking Nevin Jnr's removal from the family home. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeBoth men were charged with assaulting a peace officer in the course of their duty. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeMartin Nevin Jnr pleaded guilty to one count of assault of a police officer (longfordleader.ie)
  • chargeHugh Myers pleaded guilty to two counts of assault of a police officer (longfordleader.ie)
  • chargeMartin Nevin Snr was charged with obstructing a peace officer (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtBoth men appeared before Longford Circuit Criminal Court. (offalyexpress.ie, longfordleader.ie)
  • courtJudge Keenan Johnson described the incident as absolutely and wholly reprehensible. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtThe judge warned both men their actions warranted significant custodial sentences. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtSentencing was adjourned to a sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court on 17 May. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Longford Circuit Court before Judge Keenan Johnson (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtThe case was initially heard at District Court where Judge Seamus Hughes refused jurisdiction (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceSentencing was adjourned to a sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court on May 17. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceMartin Nevin Jnr was sentenced to four years in prison with the final year suspended for five years (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherPepper spray squirted into the eyes of Garda Carr and incapacitated him. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGarda Keegan sustained injuries to her face, knees and abdomen. (offalyexpress.ie, longfordleader.ie)
  • otherGarda Keegan was off work for almost four weeks with post traumatic stress disorder. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGarda Carr said he continued to suffer lower back pain as a result of the incident. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe judge described the incident as absolutely and wholly reprehensible. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherHugh Myers is to be sentenced at a later date (longfordleader.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 13 Nov2022
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, follow-up
    Longford man pleads guilty to obstructing gardaí

    Reports the guilty plea and conditional sentencing of Martin Nevin Snr for obstructing gardaí during the arrest of his son at the family home in Knockloughlin, Longford, in August 2019. Two other men, Hugh Myers and Martin Nevin Jnr, had previously been dealt with by the court over the same incident.

    convicted, Martin Nevin Snr, 64, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Nevin Snrconvicted, Martin Nevin Jnr, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Nevin Jnrconvicted, Hugh Myers, male, namedHugh Myers
  2. 15 Jun2022
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, follow-up
    Man jailed for three years for trying to "gouge" Longford garda's eyes in violent assault

    Martin Nevin Jnr sentenced to four years with final year suspended for five years; detailed victim impact statements from Garda Carr (off duty August 2019 to January 2020, back pain, mental impact) and Garda Keegan (eye injury, PTSD, bruising); Judge Johnson noted Nevin's culpability was equal to Myers' due to the attempted eye-gouging; Hugh Myers to be sentenced at a later date.

    accused, Martin Nevin Jnr, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Nevin Jnraccused, Hugh Myers, male, named, irish (judged from name)Hugh Myersvictim, Angela Keegan, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Keeganvictim, Shane Carr, male, irish (judged from name)Shane Carr
  3. 15 Jan2022
    In courtlongfordleader.ie, its first report
    Garda 'feared for her life' during violent Longford row, court hears

    Details of the assault, victim impact statements from both Garda Keegan and Garda Carr, the judge's comments, and adjournment of sentencing to 17 May 2022.

    victim, Angela Keegan, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Keeganvictim, Shane Carr, male, irish (judged from name)Shane Carrsuspect, Martin Nevin Jnr, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Nevin Jnrsuspect, Hugh Myres, 54, male, named, irish (judged from name)Hugh Myres
  4. 15 Jan2022
    In courtoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Garda 'feared for her life' during violent row in the Midlands

    Reports the Longford Circuit Criminal Court appearance of both accused, the garda victim impact statements, and the adjournment of sentencing to 17 May. Records the court stage of the same incident as case 24055.

    accused, Martin Nevin Jnr, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Martin Nevin Jnraccused, Hugh Myres, 54, male, named, irish (judged from name)Hugh Myresvictim, Angela Keegan, female, irish (judged from name)Angela Keeganvictim, Shane Carr, male, irish (judged from name)Shane Carr