Grabbed Buddha, dropped trousers

A man who was “out of his mind with drink” grabbed a statute of Buddha and then dropped his trousers at a Chinese takeaway.

Dermot McGuinness, aged 28, terrified staff at the Ocean Court restaurant at the Diamond in Carndonagh, Co Donegal, on May 26 last.

He appeared before Carndonagh District Court yesterday after undergoing a probation report for his behaviour.

Inspector David Murphy told a previous court that gardaí had found McGuinness “out of his mind with drink” inside the takeaway.

The owner complained that McGuinness, from Churchtown in Carndonagh, had grabbed a statue of Buddha, was roaring and shouting, and had thrown a table over the counter.

The inspector said McGuinness had also taken his trousers down. He handed in images taken from the takeaway’s CCTV cameras showing the offences.

McGuinness admitted being intoxicated in a public place, using threatening and abusive language, and criminal damage.

It took the inspector some time to go over McGuinness’s criminal record, which included several convictions for assault.

Solicitor Frank Dorrian told Judge Paul Kelly: “The recurring pattern with this man is one of alcohol abuse; he has little or no recollection of what went on during this incident. It is inexplicable as to what he was doing.”

Mr Dorrian said McGuinness’s life had now changed. He was no longer drinking and was getting support at AA meetings. He was determined to continue with this new life and brought €186 to court to pay for the damage done to the restaurant.

Judge Kelly ordered a probation and community service report to monitor McGuinness’s progress and adjourned sentence until yesterday.

McGuinness was sentenced to 120 hours of community service in lieu of six months in jail for threatening and abusive behaviour, was jailed for three months but had that suspended for a year for criminal damage; and was also fined €100 for intoxication.