Riverside resident Seamus Hynes was fined in Galway District Court yesterday for criminal damage after slapping a woman’s phone out of her hand outside the Eyre Square Supermacs.
According to gardaí, the woman was taking a selfie after midnight on 23rd September last year when Hynes walked over and hit the phone to the ground, causing €79 worth of damage.
Hynes suffers from dwarfism and believed the woman was taking a photo of him.
He stated in court that people often took pictures of him without his consent and posted them on social media.
His solicitor added that Hynes did not drink or smoke and had successfully attended the Rosedale School on the Dublin Road.
Judge Mary Fahy noted that taking photos and posting them without an individual’s consent is unacceptable, but it appeared that was not the case in this instance.
She also took note of his 12 previous convictions and added that there are “other ways to deal” with the issue than causing criminal damage.
Hynes paid the full amount for repairs to the phone and was fined €150 with six months to pay.
A previous version of this article erroneously described Hynes’ area of residence and the value of the damage to the phone. The article has been amended to correct these facts.
