Friends concerned for wellbeing of former politician who was released from Garda custody

Deep concerns were last night expressed for the well-being of the ex-politician who was released from Garda custody having been arrested three times over the weekend.

The former local and national politician, who is not from Cork, was released from Fermoy Garda Station yesterday having been arrested three times at the Indiependence festival in Mitchelstown over the weekend.

It has emerged that an incident at Fermoy Garda Station involving gardaí was “particularly vicious” and the ex-politician was said to be “extremely drunk”.

A file is to be prepared for the DPP.

Sources close to the man have expressed concerns as to his wellbeing and mental state. “He is not in a good way and people are very concerned as to his actions at the weekend, which are troublesome to say the least,” said one source.

The former politician had attended the festival with friends but officers became concerned about his increasingly unpredictable behaviour at and around the festival on Sunday afternoon.

It is understood that when he was approached by gardaí, he lashed out and abused one officer verbally.

When urged to calm down, the man was said to have become belligerent, refusing to lower his voice and to leave the area.

Despite being given several opportunities to walk away, he was finally detained and taken to the nearby Garda station.

At this point, sources have said the man vehemently protested about being detained and was extremely aggressive and confrontational with officers.

During an altercation with officers, one garda was assaulted and others were spat at. It has been confirmed the officer involved was not seriously injured and needed no medical attention.

It is now believed that due to concerns about his mental state, the man was released without charge several hours after the incident.

He was then detained by gardaí outside Mitchelstown less than two hours later on suspicion of drink-driving. He was arrested and brought back to the Garda station.

Again he was released without charge but became involved in an aggressive confrontation with gardaí in and around the festival grounds on Monday evening and was re-arrested.

At this point, he was taken to Fermoy Garda Station and detained overnight. Gardaí considered him to be a risk to himself and others, given the state he was in.

The man was released yesterday without charge into the care of his family.