Man fined for verbally abusing garda

A man roaring "God Save the Queen" in Cork told a garda, "Ye arrest me because I am gay and Protestant and from Tipperary."

Paul Browne of St James’s Place, Ballyhooley Rd, Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday at Cork District Court to being drunk and a source of danger and being threatening, insulting or abusive at the time.

Garda Lorraine O’Donovan encountered Browne, aged 40, at 4am on September 26, 2013, standing out in front of a Country Clean refuse collection lorry on Washington St west.

He would not get out of the way, despite the driver’s attempt to reverse and get around him.

Browne also roared: “God Save the Queen.”

The defendant also verbally abused Garda O’Donovan, calling her “a scumbag” and told her, “I’ll have your job.”

Diarmuid Kelleher, defending, said that the accused had been battling depression for 20 years.

He said Browne was in the process of changing his medication and was mixing it with alcohol at the time.

Mr Kelleher said Browne was so remorseful that he actually wrote to the garda afterwards to apologise to her for his behaviour.

In fairness to the defendant, he has been off alcohol for the period of almost one year since the incident, his solicitor said yesterday.

Judge Leo Malone imposed a €250 fine on him for his abusive behaviour. The judge also convicted him of being drunk and a source of danger to himself or others at the time, and fined him €150.