Mayo man who ‘promised’ to put a garda’s head through a wall must stay out of Louth for 12 months

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A 41-year-old man who threatened to put a student garda’s head through a wall when he was on a night out in Drogheda has been ordered to stay out of Co. Louth for 12 months.

Ruairí Fitzpatrick, Cahir, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo, pleaded guilty to using or engaging in threatening abusive or insulting behaviour or words, public intoxication and failing to provide a garda with his name and address, at Stockwell Lane, Drogheda, when he appeared before the local district court on Monday.

Evidence was given that at 1.45am on July 1 last gardaí received a report of a disturbance at a fast food outlet.

Officers who responded saw that Mr Fitzpatrick was “extremely intoxicated and extremely threatening to gardaí”. He was slurring his words. He refused to give his name.

"F**k off. Why don’t you get a real job you crowd of c**ts,” he said.

Court presenter Sgt John O’Hehir added that the defendant said to a student garda at the scene, “I’d love to put your f**king head through the wall. That’s not a threat that’s a promise.”

Solicitor Paul Moore said that his client was not local to the town. The father of two children had too much to drink on a night out.

To show his remorse he had €300 to offer.

Judge Nicola Andrews applied the Probation Act after the defendant donated that money to the court fund. He was told to stay out of Co. Louth for the next 12 months.

"If you rinse and repeat, you will meet me again. Off you go,” the judge added.