Drunk who threatened to rape the mothers of gardaí spared jail

Accused verbally abused gardaí as 'faggots' and said he hoped they would all get cancer

The accused had 177 previous convictions. File picture

A 48-year-old man verbally abused gardaí as "faggots", threatened to rape the mothers of all gardaí, and expressed the hope they would all get cancer.

That was the insulting outburst from Stephen McNamara, of no fixed address, at the height of a drunken incident in Cork City. He had 177 previous convictions.

At Cork District Court on Friday, Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a two-month suspended jail term after McNamara pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour.

Sergeant John Kelleher said the incident occurred on the afternoon of February 16 in Grand Parade Cork.

Gardaí were alerted to the fact that a man who appeared to be intoxicated was lying in the stairwell of a charitable organisation.

“When gardaí arrived, Mr McNamara called them faggots and said he would box them around the place," Sgt Kelleher said.

Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said: “Mr McNamara came out of custody in February having done well in prison. He came out to no accommodation and, in effect, he was living on the streets. Within two days he was on alcohol again. He was very badly abusive to gardaí but it was entirely verbal.”

Mr Buttimer said the defendant apologised for the highly unacceptable comments.

Judge Dorgan noted that while it may have been verbal, the accused had to be restrained at the time.

Mr Buttimer said the accused made great progress and was now on medication for his heroin addiction.

The judge then imposed a two-month sentence suspended on condition that he would keep the peace for the next two years.