Drunken man tried to hit gardaí with glass bottle

A Cobh man who tried to strike gardaí with a glass bottle and later tried to head-butt them was yesterday jailed for four months.

Frank Harper, aged 42, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to two counts of engaging in threatening behaviour arising out of the incidents in Cork city.

Inspector Ann Marie Twomey said that, on July 20, 2018, gardaí were on beat patrol at Lapp’s Quay, Cork, when they found the defendant drinking alcohol from a glass bottle. Harper became aggressive and told gardaí to fuck off. “His speech was slurred and he tried to strike out with a glass bottle at gardaí,” Insp Twomey said.

The second incident occurred on January 10, 2019, when gardaí found a group of people drinking on the street at Parnell Place. They all agreed to move on when directed by gardaí.

“Mr Harper took exception to this and tried to head-butt gardaí,” Insp Twomey said. “He was very intoxicated and continued to be aggressive. He was arrested for his own safety.”

Harper was convicted 13 times previously for engaging in threatening behaviour and 34 times for being drunk and a danger to himself or others.

Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said: “He apologised for his behaviour. Generally, he has a good relationship with gardaí. He has moved from the Simon Community and has accommodation back down in Cobh.

He is 42, he is in a relationship and he is from Cobh. He is an alcoholic. He says the guards took drink from him and he reacted in an inappropriate manner.

The solicitor said Harper had worked for many years in Cobh but suffered from depression and ended up abusing alcohol but was doing much better since these incidents occurredand was behaving more responsibly.

Judge Kelleher said that threatening gardaí with a bottle and trying to head-butt them was too serious. He imposed two consecutive two-month sentences.