Young man squared up to gardaí in Cork when asked to leave disturbance, court told

Judge Olann Kelleher warned 20-year-old Dean Quigley: 'You will be in jail the next time.'

When approached by gardaí, the 20-year-old reacted in an aggressive manner, clenching his fists and squaring up to Garda Delaney and his colleagues. File picture: Dan Linehan

A young man refused to leave the scene of a disturbance when directed by gardaí and instead clenched his fists and squared up to officers, Cork District Court heard on Friday.

The young man was given non-custodial penalties at the court, but Judge Olann Kelleher warned 20-year-old Dean Quigley: “I considered jail. But I will give you a chance because of your age.

“You got lots of chances to desist in your behaviour when the guards told you on the night but you didn’t listen — you will be in jail the next time.” 

Dean Quigley previously of no fixed address in Cork and now living in Killaloe, County Clare, pleaded guilty to public order charges against him.

Sergeant Pat Lyons outlined the background to the incident. On July 20, 2022, gardaí received a report of men fighting on St Patrick’s Street. A short time later, men matching the description of those fighting, were found on Lapps Quay on the boardwalk. 

Garda Paul Delaney identified himself and approached Dean Quigley. However, the 20-year-old reacted in an aggressive manner, clenching his fists and squaring up to Garda Delaney and his colleagues.

Judge Kelleher imposed a €300 fine on him for failing to leave the scene of a disturbance when directed by a member of An Garda Síochána. He fined him €200 for engaging in threatening behaviour.

The same defendant also pleaded guilty to having a very small amount of cannabis in his possession for his own use on another occasion. That was at Keyser’s Hill off Barrack Street on February 16, 2022. Judge Olann Kelleher fined him €100 for that offence.

Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said the young man was from Fermoy but became homeless in Cork city for a period of 12 months around the time of these offences. 

Now living in County Clare he travelled down by bus to face the case in Cork District Court and was making a good effort in his life now, the solicitor said.