'Take off the cuffs and I’ll kill ye': Man who verbally abused Cork gardaí ends up in jail

A Limerick man visiting Cork verbally abused gardaí as ‘Cork pr**ks’ and urged them to remove his handcuffs so that he could fight them.

Gavin Ryan’s behaviour has now resulted in him getting a jail term at Cork District Court.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a total sentence of four months on the 25-year-old of The Grove, Pallasgreen, Limerick, with the last six weeks of that sentence suspended.

He pleaded guilty to being threatening and abusive, being intoxicated to such an extent that he was a danger to himself or others, and giving false details to gardaí.

Sergeant John Kelleher said the incident occurred in the early hours of January 11 when the accused was jumping out in front of traffic on Lower Glanmire Rd in Cork.

“When Gavin Ryan saw the gardaí he started to walk towards the patrol vehicle. As he approached, he stumbled and there was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor from his breath. He called gardaí ‘Cork pricks’. He gave a false name and date of birth.”

Gda O’Donovan informed Ryan that he was going to be searched, and there was a public service card with his correct name.

“He then became highly aggressive and was placed in handcuffs. He made threats of violence against the two gardaí present. He said: ‘Take off the cuffs and I’ll kill ye. I’ll remember your faces and ye’ll be sorry, ye Cork f***ers. I’ll get ye.’

“Two members of the public had to walk onto the road to avoid the incident,” said Sgt Kelleher. “He was instructed to desist, but failed to do so.”

Frank Buttimer, defence solicitor, said of the accused: “He tells me he does drink to excess and when he does, he gets into difficulties of this kind.

“He does not have Cork connections. He came down to socialise on the day. His memory is challenged. He accepts the facts, generally. There was aggressive verbal behaviour, it did not turn to physicality.”

Judge Dorgan said it was very concerning to hear that this man was walking out in front of traffic in the early hours of the morning and behaving in the way that he did with arresting gardaí.