Judge threatens courtroom attendees he'll send them to dungeon cell for making noise
A noisy courtroom prompted a judge to threaten to send those responsible to a basement dungeon in the building.
Judge Desmond Zaidan told the packed setting of Naas District Court that the next person responsible for making noise would be detained.
“I have a garda say ‘silence in court’ several times today but it continues,” said the judge.
He added: “There is a dungeon downstairs; it’s not even a cell and you’re welcome to it.”
He asked the garda to report the next person making noise , irrespective of whether a language barrier exists to him.
He said unless the noise ceased he could wind up convicting someone of an offence who should not be convicted because he was unable to properly hear oral evidence by a witness, a garda or a solicitor.
Over 300 cases were listed before the court that day and the courtroom was packed to capacity.