Drunk man frightened children at Ferris wheel

Children waiting for their turn on the Ferris wheel in the centre of Cork City on Christmas week were frightened by the antics of a drunken man who was jailed for a month yesterday.

Insp John Deasy said yesterday at Cork District Court that on Dec 22, 2013, Richard O’Brien, aged 42, got through a gap in a cordoned line and pushed into the middle of the queue.

“Mr O’Brien was highly intoxicated and falling around bumping into adults and children causing alarm to those present. Several young children were very frightened,” he said.

Gardaí escorted him from the scene of the disturbance.

O’Brien pleaded guilty to two public order offences arising out of the incident.

Judge Leo Malone imposed a one-month jail sentence on him on the threatening charge and took the drunkenness into consideration.

On Dec 27, O’Brien was back at Grand Parade, Cork, where he went to Hillbilly’s takeaway in a drunken condition and caused annoyance to customers. He engaged in similar behaviour at Oliver Plunkett St on Christmas Eve.

He pleaded guilty to being drunk and a source of danger during the incidents.