Man, 50, jailed for ‘disgusting’ damage to his garda station cell in Cork

“Particularly disgusting” criminal damage to a custody cell at a Garda station resulted in a 50-year-old man being jailed for five months.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed the sentence on Gordon Sherin at Cork District Court.

“I am of the view that this is a particularly disgusting type of incident, that, unfortunately, someone else had to clean up,” Judge Dorgan said. “And there is no prospect of him paying compensation.”

Sergeant John Kelleher said: “Gordon Sherin was arrested on November 28, 2024, at 6.30pm, by Garda Shane Hayes, for being intoxicated to such an extent that he was a danger to himself or others.

“He was conveyed to Bridewell Garda Station. He was being held until the following morning at Cork District Court, because of a bench warrant.

“At approximately 11.30pm, Mr Sherin urinated at the door of the cell and, later, attempted to push his own excrement out under the door by use of a sock and a mattress.”

Mr Sherin, of St Vincent’s Hostel, Anglesea Tce, Cork, pleaded guilty to causing the criminal damage.

As the circumstances were being outlined, he said, by video link from prison: “I wasn’t very well at the time. Apologies.”

He had three previous convictions for causing criminal damage among his 76 previous convictions.

Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said the 50-year-old man had a lot of difficulties in his life, but was doing well in prison, where he was serving a sentence for a number of thefts.