Drunk with 200 previous convictions jailed for shouting abuse at foreign visitors to Cork

'One drink and he's gone' solicitor tells judge who referred to the 'nastiness' of what accused said

The man's solicitor said he never caused a problem when he was sober. File picture: David Jones/PA Wire

A 56-year-old Cork man shouting abuse at visitors to Cork City was sentenced to four months in jail for his actions.

Francis Kearns shouted the words: “Fucking foreigners. Taking all our jobs. C***s.”

At Cork District Court, Sergeant Gearóid Davis outlined the background to the latest offences committed by Francis Kearns of Mount Rivers, Carrigaline, Co Cork.

On the occasion on July 21, 2022, Kearns was found to be threatening and abusive and was drunk to the extent that he was a danger to himself or others.

When he came before the court for these latest offences, he already had a total of 200 convictions for being drunk and a danger and for being threatening.

Judge Olann Kelleher said a prison sentence had to be imposed on Kearns.

“He is shouting at visitors to the city — for that alone he knows he is at the end of the line.”

Solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said the accused never caused a problem sober, was a gentleman, and worked very successfully when given community service orders.

“But one drink and he is gone — he cannot metabolise alcohol,” Mr Kelleher said.

Judge Kelleher said the real difficulty in the present case was that there was a nastiness about what the defendant said.

The solicitor said: “Something triggers madness in him when he drinks — one drink is enough.”

As well as the verbal abuse of visitors to Cork, he also caused a drunken disturbance and was threatening to staff and to gardaí at Boyle Sports on Castle Street on April 13 this year.

He pleaded guilty to these public order offences and others of a similar nature committed recently.

Judge Kelleher imposed an overall sentence of four months.