Drunk Cork man verbally abused people in Cork city centre, calling them 'bastards and retards'

Accused was highly abusive to members of the public on St Patrick’s Street, Cork, also telling them to f*** off, and then resisted arrest, court told

The incident happened on St Patrick’s Street on February 28. Picture: Larry Cummins

Handcuffs had to be used to arrest a 57-year-old man at the height of a drunken incident where he called people passing in Cork city centre “bastards and retards” but said: “I just over-indulged”.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the incident occurred at about 9.30pm on February 28.

Gardaí saw 57-year-old Stephen Carroll, who lives at an apartment on 49 Thomas Davis Street, Blackpool, Cork, being highly abusive to members of the public on St Patrick’s Street, Cork.

“He was telling members of the public to f*** off, calling them bastards and retards on multiple occasions. When gardaí spoke to him, he was unsteady on his feet, there was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor from him and he had glassy eyes.

“Stephen Carroll was told he was being arrested. He then tried to walk away from gardaí and became aggressive, trying to resist the arrest. Officers placed handcuffs on him for their safety to carry out the arrest,” Sgt Davis said.

Carroll pleaded guilty to obstructing gardaí, engaging in threatening behaviour and being so intoxicated he was a danger to himself or others.

Diane Hallahan, solicitor, said the defendant had written a letter of apology to the gardaí, in which he said he did not wish to carry on the way he did on the night, he was sorry for his behaviour and it would not happen again.

He had 60 previous convictions, including four for being drunk and a danger, and eight for threatening behaviour.

Ms Hallahan said Stephen Carroll had been out of trouble for a long period and his last conviction dated back to September 2019.

Judge Mary Dorgan hoped this incident in February this year was a one-off, and he was on a lot of medication. She imposed a €350 fine for threatening behaviour and took the other charges into consideration.