50-year-old sent to restorative justice over drunken hotel outburst
A 50-year-old man who slapped a staff member and broke a chair during a drunken outburst at a Dublin Hotel has apologised and repaid the €200 in damage caused, a court has heard.
Shane Berkeley, of Knockmore Crescent, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to criminal damage, engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, and being intoxicated in a public place.
The incident happened around 1pm on 9 February this year at the Plaza Hotel, Tallaght, when staff called gardaí after a guest began acting aggressively in the corridors.
The court heard that Berkeley was seen pacing up and down the hallway, topless and barefoot, and was also acting aggressively trying to get back into his locked room. The court was told that he smelled strongly of alcohol, appeared “quite irate” – and was described as “a danger to himself and others”.
The court heard that hotel staff were frightened by his behaviour and contacted gardaí when he began banging on doors and refusing to calm down.
CCTV footage later viewed by staff showed Berkeley locked out of his room, pacing the corridor and appearing agitated, before getting into an altercation with a man walking by.
Staff tried to calm him down but the situation escalated when Berkeley lashed out – slapping one staff member twice in the face and grabbing him by the shirt before being restrained.
Gardaí arrived moments later and arrested him. He was taken to Tallaght Garda Station, where officers said he was so intoxicated he posed a danger to himself and others.
A later inspection of Berkeley’s hotel room found a chair worth €200 had been broken.
Defence solicitor, Padraig O’Donovan, said his client had no memory of the events and had taken both alcohol and prescription sleeping tablets earlier that day.
“He was completely out of it on a mixture of alcohol and medication”, Mr O’Donovan said. “He accepts he was out of line and has done everything possible to make amends”.
The court heard Berkeley had already repaid the €200 to the Plaza Hotel and that assault charges were withdrawn. He also apologised directly to the staff member involved.
Judge Patricia McNamara noted his apology and repayment but questioned why someone who had taken sleeping tablets would become aggressive rather than drowsy.
“Whatever you took that day clearly had a bad effect”, she said. “In your favour, you apologised – and the gardaí say you’ve cooperated with them since the incident”.
The judge directed Berkeley to engage with a restorative justice programme and adjourned the case to 16 January 2026 for finalisation.