Judge tells man to tackle his drink problem

A MAN has been told by a district court judge that he has got to address his drink problem as he was causing chaos for everyone around him.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis outlined the background to the offences committed by the accused, Thomas Keenan, aged 35, previously of St Michael’s Lawn, Mahon, Cork, and more recently of St Vincent’s hostel, Anglesea Terrace, Cork.

Most recently, Thomas Keenan came to the attention of gardaí in the carpark of Aldi in Togher on August 19.

“He was shouting insults to gardaí and members of the public. He was arrested and conveyed to Togher Garda Station.”

On February 2 he committed a theft of a small amount of food at Centra, Victoria Cross, Cork.

Last year, shortly before 5am on August 23, he was shouting and roaring abuse at another man in Cork city and he was very abusive to gardaí arriving on the scene. Despite the presence of gardaí, Keenan and the other man persisted in trying to get at each other.

Sgt Davis said: “I don’t have a record of what was said to the guards.” The defendant spoke up in court: “That’s because there was nothing said.” Shane Collins Daly solicitor said that in fairness to the defendant, the prosecution file in the case made no reference to the gardaí being verbally abusive.

Around this time at St Michael’s Lawn, Keenan refused to leave the scene of a disturbance when directed to go.

The accused also admitted failing to appear in court for a number of cases.

Shane Collins Daly, solicitor, said Keenan had a lot of difficulties with addiction to alcohol and drugs as well as mental health issues. He said the accused failed to appear in court because he was going through a particularly bad period at the time.

Imposing a three-month suspended sentence and a community service order of 80 hours, the judge warned Keenan: “You are very close to going to prison. You have got to address your alcohol problems because you are causing chaos for everyone else.”