“Free spirit” who attacked Gardaí gets suspended sentence

By Eimear Dodd

A “free spirit” struck out at Gardaí after they directed him to leave an area in south Dublin, a court was told. 

Rodin Van Hooff (43) of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally or recklessly assaulting two Gardaí at Lynwood, Ballinteer, Co. Dublin on March 2, 2023.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Wednesday that two Gardaí were called to Lynwood following a report of a disturbance.

They came across Van Hooff, who was living in a tent in the area at that time, and directed him to leave.

Van Hooff declined to leave and became aggressive. He swung out at the Gardaí, missing one and hitting the other on the back of the head.

The officers used pepper spray to restrain Van Hooff. He was arrested and taken to the local garda station.

Van Hooff’s bail was revoked in July last year and he spent two months in custody.

A local garda agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that his client had secured hostel accommodation, but lost it and is sleeping in a tent again. It was also accepted that no weapon was used during the incident.

The garda agreed with Mr Rea that his client told Gardaí during the incident that he is a “free man of the land who didn’t agree with the laws”.

Mr Rea described Van Hooff is a “free spirit” with “an optimistic view” . He said his client is living on the streets again and wishes to leave Ireland. He was born in Indonesia and had been living in the Netherlands before coming to Ireland.

Judge Martin Nolan said the Gadaí were “doing their duty” when the incident took place and they were not injured.

He said Van Hooff has a “somewhat unusual lifestyle and philosophy of life” and “he can have that once he does not commit crime”.

Judge Nolan said he initially intended to impose a suspended sentence of three months, but reduced it to a suspended one-month sentence to take account of the time Van Hooff already spent in custody.