Louth man jailed for racially abusing a Garda and assaulting her colleague
A 51-year-old man who racially abused a Garda has been jailed for two months when he appeared at Drogheda Court on Monday.
Stanley Buchan, The Green, Tredagh View, Drogheda, had been remanded in custody for sentencing after being convicted of a charge charge brought under Section 6 (a) of the Public Order Act, using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour or words in a public place that is aggravated by hatred.
The court also sought a Victim Impact Statement from the officer who had since resigned from the force.
Evidence was given that he said to her, “Do you know what they used to do with people like you? Hang them. KKK.”
Mr Buchan had contested the charge and also denied assaulting another Garda during an incident which occurred outside his home.
He was also convicted of that offence.
Judge Nicola Andrews remarked that it was an “appalling” way to speak to anybody.
"I won’t tolerate that behaviour. It has no place in civilised society.”
At a hearing last month, Gda Gavin Durkin testified that at 8.10pm on March 12, 2025, while on mobile patrol in Tredagh View he heard the accused shout, “F**k off, you rats”.
He said that the defendant called his colleague a “tramp” and a “n***er”.
On being informed of his arrest, he threw off his jacket and got into a boxing stance. He started shadow-boxing and coming towards the officer.
Gda Durkin continued that he pepper-strayed the man and eventually got handcuffs on him.
He lashed out with his feet, and it was not possible to get him into the patrol car, so a van was requested.
Sgt Dave O’Leary arrived in the patrol van.
He told the court that Stanley Buchan called him as a “bald, fat b*****d”.
The accused resisted getting into the van. He pushed him forward into the vehicle. The other man kicked him on the right arm, below the elbow.
Sgt O’Leary said Mr Buchan kept shouting, “KKK”, “n****r” and “f**king n****r” to the officer who is a person of colour.
He continued to shout racial slurs and say, “Ku Klux Klan” and “KKK”.
He also said, “Do you know what they used to do with people like you? Hang them. KKK.”
Sgt O’Leary added that he was not injured and remained on duty.
Solicitor Paddy Goodwin said that he had gone through in detail the Victim Impact Statement with his client, who instructed him to apologise. He had apologised leaving the garda station on the night.
Mr Buchan was deeply embarrassed and ashamed to be before the court again.
Judge Andrews said that she wouldn’t tolerate this. It was an appalling way to speak to anybody. The officer was just doing her job.
"I don’t want to hear a peep out of you,” the judge said to Stanley Buchan.
"I won’t tolerate that behaviour. It has no place in civilised society. It was disgraceful.
"I can only think of that young member (of An Garda Síochána) and what career she could have had,” Judge Andrews continued.
Concurrent 3-month sentences, the final month suspended for 12 months, and backdated to February 23 last, were imposed on each of the public order and assault charges.
A separate Section 113 charge which related to the same defendant getting into a stationary camper van without permission at North Quay, Drogheda, on April 30, 2025, was taken into consideration.