Two members of An Garda Síochána were dragged to the ground by a drunken man in Cork city centre when they told him he was being arrested for failing to leave the scene of a disturbance.

32-year-old Niall Murphy of 9 Cherry Gardens, Montenotte, Cork, came to the attention of gardaí on August 27 2022. Sergeant John Kelleher outlined the background to the matter at Cork District Court.

“Shortly before 3 am, gardaí on beat patrol observed the accused acting in a threatening manner towards another member of the public, attempting to strike him.

“Gardaí intervened and directed him to leave the city centre immediately. He was argumentative with gardaí but eventually left.

“However, five minutes later he returned and again he became argumentative with Sergeant Timothy McAuliffe, saying, ‘Go f*** yourself, you can’t tell me what to do. F*** off’.

“Gardaí escorted him as far as Daunt Square at which point he turned around and asked the gardaí if they could run.

“As he was being arrested he physically resisted gardaí, dragging both members to the ground before eventually being handcuffed,” Sgt Kelleher said. The defendant had no previous convictions for behaviour of this kind and nothing since the incident. 

Judge Olann Kelleher fined him €250 for being threatening and abusive and €350 for failing to leave the scene of the incident.