Cork man jailed following series of incidents including chasing youths with hurley

A garda was pushed to the ground as he tried to arrest a man at the Fever Hospital Steps in Cork city and now the accused has been jailed for 15 months for crimes that also include chasing teenagers while armed with a hurley.

Judge Mary Dorgan said: 

“It would have been very frightening for people in the vicinity and very frightening for the young people chased by him with a hurley. It was senseless – this was bizarre behaviour in all the circumstances.” 

Judge Dorgan noted that that the probation service categorised 37-year-old Roy Miller as being of a very high risk of reoffending against a background of engaging in “very problematic behaviour after too much alcohol”. 

Consecutive sentences imposed on the accused made for a total of 15 months at Cork District Court. 

Sergeant Pat Lyons outlined details on the series of incidents involving Roy Miller where the accused pleaded guilty to a total of 19 charges.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said Mr Miller acknowledged that he was wrong to try to deal with the youths himself by chasing them with a hurley at a time when he had a grievance with them.

Judge Dorgan also said: 

“I am concerned about a garda being pushed to the ground while doing his job.” 

That incident occurred at noon on October 9 2023 at Fever Hospital Steps off the North Link Road. When Garda Vincent McCarthy informed him he was going to be arrested he pushed Garda McCarthy on to the ground and ran down the steps.

In the most serious incident, a group of youths ran into a service station toilet and hid – only for staff at the premises to witness two older men arriving moments later armed with hurleys.

Roy Miller of Peacock Row, North Monastery Road, Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a weapon, namely the hurley, being threatening and abusive, being drunk and a danger, causing criminal damage and failing to provide his name and address to Garda Chris Campbell.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said: “At approximately 6.15pm on Saturday May 7 2022 staff were working behind the tills of the shop at the Circle K service station in Douglas [and] observed a group of youths running into the store and hiding in the customer toilets.

“Two men were observed running into the shop, both of them carrying hurleys and brandishing them in a threatening manner.

“Roy Miller began to smash and hit the hurley he was carrying off the shop walls causing dents to the back of the doors and that he was acting in a wild and aggressive manner.

“The two men continued to search for the youths who were hiding, before being asked to leave.

“20 minutes later after the arrival of gardaí, he (the defendant) returned to the Circle K brandishing a hurley in a threatening manner chasing the same group of youths in the shop. He was arrested at the scene.” 

Frank Buttimer defence solicitor said: “He is 37 years old, a father of seven children. He has a longstanding alcohol difficulty which is untreated. He has not looked at it in a meaningful way.” 

In another incident on Sheares Street, he ran from Garda Vincent McCarthy again. On this occasion he threw two knives, a razor blade and a mobile phone away as he ran down Coach Street, Peter Street, Grattan Street and Henry Street in an unsuccessful attempt to get away from Garda McCarthy.

Sgt Lyons said Mr Miller refused to listen to or adhere to instructions and had his fist clenched as Garda McCarthy went to arrest him. Handcuffs had to be used to effect the arrest.