Child (8) opened door to gardaí as drunken dad lay on the floor, court hears
A father of one swung out at a garda after officers were called to his home to check on the welfare of a young child, a court has heard.
The 50-year-old could be heard shouting when gardaí arrived at the house. He was found lying on the floor in the sitting room, highly intoxicated, with all the lights off in the house.
The child, who was eight years old at the time, opened the door to gardaí, a sergeant said.
Judge Shalom Binchy said gardaí do a difficult job, and they have to be able to do their job without being abused.
She applied the Probation Act, saying the defendant had made great efforts to address his problems. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his child, admitted obstructing Garda Ronan McNamara at his home on September 17, 2024.
Sergeant Olan Keating told Balbriggan District Court that gardaí were called to the house to conduct a welfare check on a child. When they arrived, the defendant was lying on the floor, and was highly intoxicated.
The defendant became very aggressive towards gardaí, and swung out at Gda McNamara.
Officers were forced to use pepper spray, the court heard.
The child was taken from the house, Tusla was contacted, and the child now lives full-time with their mother.
Alcohol had been at the root of the defendant’s problems, his solicitor said, but he was now sober for over a year.