Sentencing of Cork man who was abusive to charity staff to be finalised next week

SENTENCING of a 63-year-old Bishopstown man who was threatening and abusive towards staff from the neighbouring Irish Kidney Association premises will be finalised on July 9

Judge Mary Dorgan adjourned the case until that date to allow time for an update on the position from the Probation Service.

Garda Brian White investigated the case against 63-year-old Vincent O’Riordan of St Anne’s, Wilton Avenue, Bishopstown, and charged him with three separate counts of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.

Pleading guilty to all three counts, Vincent O’Riordan said: “I am taking responsibility for my behaviour.”

Gda White said the Irish Kidney Association purchased two houses that were developed as a centre to support families of people experiencing kidney problems.

“Staff in the Irish Kidney Association’s property are petrified of him — for want of a better word. A lot of the mainly female staff are afraid to go out on the road outside the premises on their own,” Gda White said.

Defence solicitor Joseph Cuddigan expressed concern about any suggestion of further incidents, stressing that the defendant was before the court to face three charges only and was pleading guilty to those.

However, he said the facts as outlined about the three events were fully accepted as was the evidence that the three ladies were extremely distressed by what happened.

In the first incident, on September 28, 2023, a member of staff was outside sitting in her car on the phone and told her to quieten down and he put up two fingers to her.

On November 26, 2023, a woman working in the centre was standing on the front driveway when Mr O’Riordan came out of his house across the road and shouted: “Ye f***ers have no respect for nobody, ye’re a f***ing disgrace. Like all charities on the take.”

Gda White said this caused her some distress and she felt intimidated and threatened.

A colleague was moving her car later and she was approached by the accused who put up his middle finger to her and told her to f*** off, causing her stress and embarrassment.

“I investigated all three matters. Mr O’Riordan came to Bishopstown Garda Station,” Gda White said.

“In fairness, he put his hands up to everything.”

Mr Cuddigan said in mitigation: “He is a man who has a very set routine. His routine was disrupted and he found it difficult to cope. He is someone who regularly attends his GP.”

The particular issue which disrupted him was renovation work taking place at the facility and the attendance at the scene by construction workers and delivery vehicles.

Mr Cuddigan said that with this work now completed, the defendant’s sense of disruption had passed.