'Let's go down there for slaps': Suspended jail term for man who wanted to fight garda in Cork city centre

A MEMBER of An Garda Síochána was urged by a man to go down a laneway for a fight with him as he said: “Let’s go down there for slaps.”

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the incident occurred in Cork city centre and that the aggressor also said he would “beat the head off” the garda.

Michael Faulkner, of St Vincent’s hostel, Anglesea Terrace, Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of engaging in threatening behaviour and being so drunk that he was a danger to himself or others.

He has 85 previous convictions in this country but his solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said he had no convictions since 2015 and had been living in the UK.

“He apologises and accepts he was drunk on the occasion that he challenged the guard,” Mr Buttimer said.

The solicitor said Faulkner returned home to be with family in the past few months and he had been living at St. Vincent’s.

Judge Olann Kelleher fined him €300 for being drunk and a danger and imposed a two-month suspended jail term on him for being threatening and abusive.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the incident happened on June 4 at Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork.

“At 9.45pm that night, Garda Páraic O’Connor approached Michael Faulkner with the intention of speaking to him about another matter,” said Sgt Davis.

“But immediately after he was approached he pointed down an alley and said, ‘Let’s go down here for slaps’ and continued to say he would beat the head off the garda.

“His behaviour was very erratic throughout the interaction with high and low emotional states.

“He was arrested for being under the influence of an intoxicant,” Sgt Davis said.