Fine for Cork man who barged through crowd at Marquee rave causing them to stumble and spill drinks 

Accused was so intoxicated he was a danger to himself and others and called gardaí on duty 'filthy c***s, court heard

Accused was fined €400 for engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at a rave in the Marquee last summer. Picture David: Creedon

Barging through a crowd at a one-day rave event at the Marquee last summer causing people to stumble and spill drinks has just cost a young man €400.

That was the fine Judge Mary Dorgan imposed on the 22-year-old on a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. A charge of being intoxicated to the point of being a danger to himself or others was taken into consideration.

The case had been dealt with in the absence of the accused when he failed to show up and he was convicted of the public order offences. 

Now at Cork District Court for sentencing, solicitor Frank Buttimer said Keith McInerney, of 39 Fairfields Meadows, Upper Fair Hill, Cork, had intended to plead guilty to the charges at all stages, and his failure to appear resulted from a mix-up about the date.

Garda Seán Duggan said at the hearing that he and Garda Ken O’Day were on duty at a one-day rave event at the Marquee at the Showgrounds, Cork, on June 24, 2023.

“We were flagged down by a number of people pointing to a disturbance in the dance tent.

“As we were making our way to this area, Keith McInerney ran towards us, knocking off of people, causing them to stumble and spill their drinks and nearly losing his balance.

“He was clearly intoxicated and there was a strong smell of drink from him and he was trying to get away from us. His eyes were bloodshot and he was stumbling.

“Mr McInerney was arrested at 8.15pm as he was intoxicated to a level he was a danger to himself and others.

“He was clearly under the influence of something. He started to resist and we fell to the ground as a result. A member of an ambulance crew had to assist us. I had to apply pepper spray.

“He shouted obscenities at us, mainly calling us “filthy c***s” etc. He was escorted back to the Bridewell,” Garda Duggan testified at Cork District Court.

The defendant, who had no previous convictions, apologised for his actions on the evening in question.