Mallow man threw beer keg through pub window

A Mallow man who threw a beer keg through the window of Reardens pub in Cork City did so at a time when the premises was open and the accused could have walked in the front door, a sentencing judge has noted.

Judge Philip O’Leary said Bernard Horgan, aged 37, originally of Woodview, Mallow, Co Cork, had met the case against him very fairly.

While the case dates back almost five years, there was no issue made by the defence in relation to the prosecution’s delay in bringing the case.

Horgan pleaded guilty to the charge of causing criminal damage to the premises.

The incident happened on May 4, 2020, at Reardens on Washington St, when Horgan threw a keg through a window, causing €50 damage.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said that rather than making an argument about delay, the defendant just wanted to get on with the case.

Judge Philip O’Leary convicted him and sentenced him to three months for causing the criminal damage. That sentence will run concurrently with a longer sentence he is serving for an unrelated crime.

Sergeant Dave Delea said the keg was thrown at around 10.30pm that night.

Judge O’Leary remarked: “The bar would have been open at the time — he could have just walked in the door.”

Horgan had 192 previous convictions, including two for causing criminal damage.

Mr Burke said: “He is trying hard to put things in place for when he comes out of prison.”

Judge O’Leary said that the three months imposed would not increase the overall period of time that he would serve in custody.