'You're some f***ing hero', man allegedly told garda in Cork city during incident 

“You’re some f***ing hero” – That was the comment made by a man to a member of An Garda Síochána in Cork city during an incident where he disputed the claim that he was in any way harassing a group of young women.

Craig Bowles of Wilton, Cork, whose address on the charge sheet was of Sallybrook, Glanmire, said he had about six pints in town that night and was on his way home when he saw “a good-looking” young woman at a bus stop on Washington Street.

He denied allegations that he harassed anyone male or female and appeared at Cork District to contest the case against him.

Mr Bowles said that at one stage during the incident he called out to another guard – not involved in dealing with him – to come to his assistance.

“They searched me unjustly. I tried to call the guard who was driving the paddy wagon in the hope he might have a bit more cop-on,” Craig Bowles testified.

Sgt Gearóid Davis asked: “Were you calling the guards names?” The defendant replied, “I might have said, ‘you are not doing a good job’.” 

Sgt Davis asked the accused if he had referred to the guards as “pricks and pigs”? He said he had not.

He said he was in distress after the handcuffs were put on him as he said they were too tight. He also complained in court, “I was trying to prevent my shoulder being dislocated". 

BACKGROUND

The disputed incident occurred after midnight on December 29, 2022. The accused said he was making his way home to Wilton after about six pints and said he met a young woman and started talking to her – “she was good looking and I said I’d chat her up". 

He claimed that without any discussion with gardaí they came from behind him and with no warning they began to handcuff him. Judge Olann Kelleher said this was the one aspect of the defendant’s evidence that he could not accept.

Shane Collins-Daly said of the 32-year-old following his conviction for being drunk and a danger and engaging in threatening behaviour, “he is someone who is somewhat respectable and easy to deal with". He added that he went out that night around Christmas and had no intention of getting into any difficulty.

Judge Kelleher said he would finalise the matter with a €400 fine for threatening behaviour and €200 for being drunk and a danger.

Garda Michael Fehilly testified that a group of young women in the area told them that the defendant had harassed them.

Garda Fehilly said when he was dealing with Craig Bowles, the defendant said to him, “you’re some f***ing hero".

Mr Collins-Daly said the defendant spoke to one young woman and she had no problem with him but that another woman in this group took issue with him.

Craig Bowles said: “it was no big deal – just a social interaction. But the guards came up behind me and grabbed me, pushed me against the wall and handcuffed me immediately".