Dundalk man told garda 'You're worse than the Russians'

A 65 year old who swore at and verbally abused a Garda telling him “You’re worse than the Russians”, was convicted of murder in the UK over 40 years ago, Dundalk District Court was told last week.

John Small of Mullaharlin Park, Dundalk was charged with being intoxicated in a public place, using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour arising out of the incident.

The court heard gardai were on mobile patrol at Mount Hamilton, Carrick Road, Dundalk on February 28th last when they saw the defendant stumbling on the footpath, holding a can of beer. He was given a direction to leave the area but refused and told a garda to "f*** off" before he turned his back and put his arms out saying “Arrest me. You’re worse than the Russians, you Ukrainian p****”.

The court heard he had a previous conviction last September of being intoxicated in a public place, and he also had a number of foreign convictions, including one in the UK for murder in 1981. The defence solicitor stressed that the foreign convictions go back some time, and explained that his client’s mother had died in 2018 and he has been struggling with alcohol since then but has been two and a half months drink-free.

The court heard Mr. Small had to give up his work as a night porter in a local hotel to care for his mother. Judge Eirinn McKiernan imposed a €250 fine for using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour.