Drunk man who called gardaí and ambulance personnel 'corrupt c***s' jailed for four months

Court told children among members of the public present in the city centre when verbal abuse took place

Court heard defendant accepted his 'language to gardaí and ambulance personnel was quite revolting'. Picture: Dan Linehan

"Corrupt c***s” was the term of verbal abuse a 40-year-old drunken man had for members of An Garda Síochána at the scene of a drunken disturbance, and he had the same insult for ambulance personnel who were trying to assist him.

40-year-old Krystian Bernat, of Cork Simon Community, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive words or behaviour and being intoxicated to such an extent he was a danger to himself or others, arising out of a number of similar public order instances.

Defence solicitor Joseph Cuddigan said on behalf of the defendant: “His language to gardaí and ambulance personnel was quite revolting. He accepts that.

“But there are no obstruction or assault charges. It was verbal only. He appreciates that words can hurt people but he did not become physical with any anybody.” 

Judge David Waters said at Cork District Court that this language should not be used to gardaí and in particular it should not be used to medical professionals who were trying to be of assistance to the man.

Sergeant John Dineen said: “No member of the force should have to put up with this kind of abuse. These are members of An Garda Síochána who were trying to help him. Children and members of the public were present in the city centre in the middle of the day. It is outrageous.” 

Judge Waters imposed a total sentence of four months on Mr Bernat, and also ordered him to do 100 hours of community service.

In one of the incidents in Cork city centre, the defendant was found in an intoxicated condition, sitting on a bench.

Sgt Dineen said: “When asked to dispose of his drink, he put it in his pocket and refused to hand it over. When drink was taken off him he shouted, ‘f*** off, you c***, you are nothing but a corrupt c***’. 

"When asked what he meant by that he replied: ‘You are all corrupt c***s’. Large numbers of members of public were passing by, including children.” 

There were similar incidents on Washington Street, the bus station at Parnell Place, Cornmarket Street and Fr Matthew Quay in the period since July. The incident involving the gardaí and ambulance crew occurred on September 10 at Drawbridge Street, when once again children were present.