Fell against patrol car after losing friends

A man who fell against a patrol car after losing his friends while out drinking in Portlaoise has been fined €200. 

Thomas McCarthy, 39, of 1 Ashbury View, Roscrea, Co Tipperary was arrested by gardai on May 22 at 12.20am.

Sgt JJ Kirby said the man came to garda attention as he had been walking in the middle of Main Street in Portlaoise before “he fell against the patrol car” on the night in question. He said the man was drunk and “started shouting and roaring” before being arrested. He said the man had 21 previous convictions including one for violent disorder. 

Solicitor Aonghus McCarthy said, “drink is his difficulty, to cut to the chase.” He explained that his client was out in Portlaoise and had lost his friends. He said the man is “genuinely contrite and remorseful” and had written a letter of apology.  Mr McCarthy said that although he wasn’t a man of means, the defendant had brought €100 to court.  

Acknowledging the previous convictions, he said the serious violent disorder charge the man had been convicted of in Nenagh related to a feud, similar to that which had occurred in Mullingar a number of years ago. 

Judge Patricia Cronin noted his previous record, the letter of apology and that “it is a case that he had drunk too much on the night in question” and she fined him €200 for the charge of threatening and abusive behaviour. She took the second charge of being drunk into consideration.