Fine for 'abusive man' who told gardai he 'owned' Limerick town

A RATHKEALE man who was highly abusive towards a member of An Garda Síochána and who was drunk on the town’s Main Street, was fined a total of €750 at Newcastle West court.

Niall Quilligan pleaded to charges of threatening and abusive behaviour and to being intoxicated in a public place in Rathkeale on December 6, 2020.

Inspector Pat Brennan, prosecuting, said that on that date Garda Harrington and other gardai went into the Mandarin Palace restaurant in Rathkeale where there were about 15 men.

When Garda Harrington approached him, Mr Quilligan became highly abusive, the inspector said, and told him a number of times to “f*** off”. When asked to leave the premises, he did so reluctantly and was again verbally abusive to Garda Harrington.

Out on the street, where there were about 20 people, Mr Quilligan continued abusing Garda Harrington and stated he “owned this town” and told the garda to ‘go f*** yourself”.

He then “squared up” to Garda Harrington and when directed to go home, he did so reluctantly, the inspector said, while continuing to shout “go f*** yourself”.

Pleading for his client, solicitor Michael O’Donnell said he was 41 and in gainful employment. “He is extremely embarrassed,” he said. There was “nothing of this nature” previously, he pointed out.

“Obviously there was an excessive amount of alcohol involved. It happened around Christmas time which coincided with Mr Quilligan’s return to Rathkeale.

Judge Carol Ann Cooligan fined Mr Quillign €500 for the offence of threatening and abusive behaviour and €250 for being intoxicated in a public place.