Suspended sentence for naked man encountered by Christmas shoppers in Cork city 

A two-month suspended jail term was imposed on a 30-year-old naked man who was encountered by Christmas shoppers on the top floor of a city centre multi-storey carpark.

Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, submitted at Cork District Court that as an offence under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, the one committed by Hassan Baker was an unusual one. The section refers to being threatening, abusive or insulting. Mr Burke said that invariably such cases related to threatening or abusive behaviour but that in this case it consisted of behaviour which insulted shoppers who saw him that afternoon.

“This is not your normal Section 6 offence,” Mr Burke said. 

Judge Olann Kelleher agreed that it was not the usual type of behaviour one associated with that offence.

Mr Burke said: “The incident itself is somewhat unusual. He was caught in an undressed state in a public place. He gave absolutely no difficulty. It was just the offence it caused to people driving in the area.

“He obviously should not have been in this state of undress. He is 30 now. He is living at home with his mother. 

"He has serious head injuries as a result of being the victim of a serious assault that went to the circuit court.” 

In all the circumstances, Judge Olann Kelleher said he would give the accused a two-month suspended sentence.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said: “There was drug paraphernalia in the area and there was a woman present with the naked man.” 

The incident happened on the top floor of the carpark at 4pm during Christmas week.

Hassan Baker of MacCurtain Villas, College Road, Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour arising out of the incident.

Sergeant Lyons said: “On December 20, 2012, Hassan Baker was naked on the top floor of the Q carpark on Wandsford Quay, Cork. The carpark was quite busy and there were many cars parked and being driven in and out of the top floor. Garda Vincent McCarthy arrested Hassan Baker.”