Man arrived at garda station on Christmas eve and abused gardaí
A sitting of Portlaoise District Court heard the man had believed he was being scammed
Gardai were verbally abused on Christmas Eve by a man who called to the station believing he was being scammed.
Stephen Dunne (34) of 15 The Old Mill, Church Avenue, Portlaoise admitted being intoxicated and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at Portlaoise Garda Station on December 24, 2024.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant was highly intoxicated, stumbling around and a danger to himself when he attended at the reception of Portlaoise Garda Station on Christmas Eve.
“He started abusing members of staff and people who were in the area at the time,” Sgt Kirby told a sitting of Portlaoise District Court.
He said the defendant had a number of previous convictions but he noted the most recent dated back to 2016.
Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said “ironically it was he who went to the gardaí” on the evening in question. She said the defendant’s previous convictions all arise from a single incident.
Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had been “concerned he might be the subject of a scamming scheme” and that was why he had gone to the station. She said he is “under the care of the outpatient services of the adult mental health services” and has written a letter of apology.
She said the man was working with Turas Nua and had brought a sum of €100 to court.
Ms Fitzpatrick said the man drank while on medication.
Judge John Brennan said it wasn’t pleasant for members of An Garda Siochana who were working on Christmas Eve.
However, he noted the guilty plea, the background in relation to mental health and the fact the man was dealing with his issues.
He directed that the €100 be donated to the garda benevolent fund and applied the probation act.