Horse was taken from sulky driver in Laois

A man who was driving a sulky on the N80 with no lights admitted being intoxicated and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour when stopped. 

Patrick McInerney (20) of 1 The Springs, Kilminchy, Portlaoise, admitted the offence on the N80 at Ballymacken, Portlaoise, on August 20 last. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said a community policing unit came across two sulkys with no lights or reflectors on the N80 at 10.15pm on August 20. He said gardai informed the two drivers that the horses were going to be seized. He said at this point the defendant, who was intoxicated, became aggressive and had to be arrested. He said the defendant had four previous convictions.  

Solicitor Josephine Fitzgerald said the incident had occurred during the summer and the horses were seized due to the time of night. She said the man kept the horses in a field beside where gardai stopped him. “He felt he could just turn them into the field,” she said. 

“It cost him €1,020 to obtain the return of one of the horses,” said Ms Fitzpatrick. She said the man had to borrow the money from his parents.

Judge Susan Fay referred the man to probation services for a probation report and a community services assessment. She adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on February 23 for the report.