Community service for man who trespassed and broke garda’s glasses in Laois
Man appears before Portlaoise District Court
A man has been ordered to undertake community service following trespass and public order incidents in Laois.
At a recent sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Owen Lawlor (34) of Oakleaf Place, Knockmay, Portlaoise admitted to trespass, assault with intent to resist lawful arrest, criminal damage to a pair of glasses belonging to responding gardaí, and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour at 29 Coote Street, Portlaoise on October 11, 2025.
The accused also admitted to being intoxicated at the A&E department of Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise on October 31, 2025, where he was arrested for his own safety.
Defending solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick noted that the accused has abstained from alcohol for the last six months, and that €410 was present in court to compensate the injured party for the damage to their glasses.
“Mr Lawlor is keen to put this incident behind him,” Ms Fitzpatrick told Judge Catherine Ryan.
Garda Sgt JJ Kirby told the court that the accused had prior convictions related to driving offences and threatening or abusive behaviour.
Ms Fitzpatrick told the court that a character reference for the accused was ‘readily offered’ on behalf of a community voluntary group the accused works with.
Sgt Kirby noted that the defendant has not come to garda attention since these incidents.
Judge Ryan ordered that the accused undertake 75 hours of community service in lieu of one month imprisonment for the trespass offence.
She noted that compensation had been paid in relation to the criminal damage to a garda’s glasses, and stressed that the situation was ‘very serious’.
She ordered a one month sentence suspended for 12 months, and said she would take the other other public order matter into consideration.