Man who barged into Cork garda station and banged on door jailed

A 36-year-old man brought trouble on himself by barging into the Bridewell garda station and banging on a door in the public office so loudly that gardaí on duty in the area thought he was going to damage it.

That was at 1.30 a.m. on January 13. Today at Cork District Court, Thomas Keenan was jailed for four months.

The accused was arrested in the early hours of this morning on bench warrants in respect of this and other matters.

Shane Collins-Daly, solicitor, said the defendant was pleading guilty to charges of engaging in threatening behaviour and refusing to comply with a direction from An Garda Síochána to leave the area.

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a sentence of four months on Keenan for refusing to leave the area and a concurrent two-month term for engaging in threatening behaviour in the garda station.

Mr Collins-Daly said that while the accused man had previous convictions he could also go for long periods without any trouble.

Mr Collins-Daly said in relation to the defendant’s previous failure to turn up in court to faces charges against him, “He had mental health problems… Everything got on top of him.” 

Sergeant Pat Lyons outlined the background to the case against Keenan of 44 St. Michael’s Lawn, Mahon, Cork.

“On January 12 at 1.30 a.m. a man entered the public office of the Bridewell. He was banging on the door to such an extent garda believed damage would be caused.

“Garda Paraic O’Connor spoke with him and cautioned him in relation to his behaviour and directed him to desist.

“He became very irate with gardaí and again refused to comply with a direction to leave the area peacefully.

“This occurred several times. He then violently exclaimed, ‘F*** you’ and moved his hand at gardaí in a violent manner. He had to be arrested,” Sgt. Lyons said