Bar worker ‘allowed drunkeness’
Gardaí revealed they visited the Millview Inn in Stranorlar, Co Donegal, at 3am on September 8, 2013, and found nine people on the premises.
Inspector John O’Toole told Letterkenny District Court that two people on the premises were very drunk. One of them had to be carried out of the pub, while another was so drunk that he could not be woken.
Gardaí revealed they had called past the bar at 2am but did not suspect that anybody was on the premises.
It was only later, when they noticed a taxi pulling up outside the bar, that they suspected there might be late-night drinking.
Gardaí spoke to bar worker Geraldine Bonar, who was in charge of the bar.
She said she accepted the seriousness of the matter and knew it was 3am but had no excuse why the bar was still open.
Judge Paul Kelly asked solicitor Patsy Gallagher what excuse his client had for allowing two men to be “senseless drunk” on her premises at 3am.
Mr Gallagher said his client said one of the men had sneaked into the pub after being drinking in a different bar.
However, he said she fully accepted she should have “kept a closer eye” but that she had no previous convictions.
Judge Kelly fined Ms Bonar, 34, of Callancor, Drumkeen, €150 and dismissed other charges against her but stressed that he was recording a conviction against her.
