Busker faces music over non-stop show

A busker caused a disturbance for city centre apartment dwellers by continuing to play his music after 2am and refused to stop when told to by gardaí.

His insistence that the show must go on landed him in Cork District Court yesterday facing three public order charges arising out of his behaviour.

Inspector Adrian Gamble said gardaí received a complaint about the noise on Grand Parade, Cork, at 2.05am on August 29 and Garda Tony Gallwey went to the area and found Mikolaj Erwin Plichinski, 34, playing loud music and keeping residents awake.

“He refused to quieten down and totally refused to comply with the direction given by Garda Gallwey,” Insp Gamble said.

Emmet Boyle, solicitor, said: “The facts are accepted. By way of explanation he was making music and busking by the old Capitol Cineplex. He made a bad situation worse by not complying with Garda Gallwey. Recently he has been involved in voluntary work with people less fortunate than himself. He probably would not be before the court at all if just stopped playing music when told.”

Plichinski pleaded guilty to engaging in offensive conduct, refusing to leave when directed and failing to give his name and address.

He also admitted another offence of having cannabis for his own use at Lapps Quay, Cork, on April 10, 2014.

He had a piece of cannabis in a plastic wrap and a small piece of the drug in a pipe.

Judge Leo Malone directed preparation of a probation report in advance of sentencing on December 10.

The accused had two previous convictions for public order offences. They also arose out of an incident in the early hours of May 11, 2014 where he refused to stop busking, also in Cork city centre.