Man demanded  lift at Portlaoise Garda Station

A man who arrived at Portlaoise Garda Station demanding a lift was given a suspended sentence. 

John Egan, 42, of 13 Churchfield Heights, Castletown pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and abusive at the public office of Portlaoise Garda Station on May 16 last. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the man attended the station at 11.45pm and demanded a lift to Buttercup Avenue.  He said the man became aggressive and verbally abusive and was arrested. The man has 17 previous convictions, he said. 

Suzanne Dooner BL said the man is entering an early guilty plea. She said he had suffered a serious brain injury in a fall in 2009. She said he had been off drink for five weeks prior to the incident. 

“He accepts that he was verbal and aggressive on the night,” she said.  She said he had brought a letter of apology. 

Judge Andrew Cody said there was only one previous offence in the past four years. He sentenced the man to two months in prison suspended for two years.