Bad Santa in prison after kicking court door

SANTA CLAUS was arrested in Cork city yesterday for kicking in a courthouse door — and with only a week to go to Christmas the man in red is in Cork Prison.

A special sitting of Court 3 at Cork District Court was organised to deal with the case. Judge David Riordan walked in at 4pm to see Santa in his traditional red suit with white trim, and wearing a long white beard and hair.

Children who are worried that preparations for Christmas may be jeopardised by the fact Santa is in prison should be told that the man in jail is not, in fact, the real Santa.

Garda Colin Dowling told the court the man was actually Pat Allen, 54, of 100 Pearse Road, Cork.

Gda Dowling said there was a protest outside City Hall at lunchtime and Allen had to be removed.

It is alleged that shortly after 2pm Allen, who is on crutches, arrived in Cork District Courthouse and kicked in the door of Court 1.

He was arrested and taken to the Bridewell Garda Station where he was charged with causing criminal damage to the door.

Allen was offered free legal aid, but said he would represent himself.

Judge Riordan remanded him in custody with consent to bail, to appear before Cork District Court on Thursday. If Allen takes up bail he will have to stay away from the court — except for his scheduled appearance — and stay away from City Hall.

Allen said he was protesting about the plight of the homeless people in Cork and he carried a placard stating that 21 people had died.

He wanted the issue to be debated by councillors.

Earlier yesterday, members of the public were shocked to see Santa being taken away in handcuffs.

One man — who seemed to know instantly that this could not be the real Santa — remarked: “It must be Bad Santa.”