Racist slurs made against security man in Cork city centre
Racist slurs were made against a security man in Cork city centre by a 48-year-old man who carried out multiple thefts of vodka from various stores. Pic Larry Cummins.
Racist slurs were made against a security man in Cork city centre by a 48-year-old man who carried out multiple thefts of vodka from various stores.
Garda Cian Foley was on duty on Patrick Street, Cork, on February 24, when he encountered 48-year-old Paul McCarthy of Cork Simon Community.
Sergeant Gearóid Davis said: “A security guard brought a man to Garda Foley’s attention. This man – Paul McCarthy – was unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred and there was a smell of intoxicating liquor from his breath.
“He was being verbally abusive to passers-by.
Garda Foley arrested him on the day of this outburst last month.
Now at Cork District Court Judge Miriam Walsh has sentenced the defendant to a total of four months in prison for this public order incident and a litany of shoplifting offences.
The shoplifting consisted of multiple incidents where he walked into supermarkets and smaller stores in Cork city centre, selected two bottles of vodka and walked out without paying.
The thefts were committed on numerous dates this month and last month at premises including Dunnes on Patrick Street, where he shoplifted several times, Tesco on Paul Street, Marks and Spencer at Merchant's Quay, and Centra on Patrick Street and Centra, North Main Street.
Sergeant Davis said the accused had 224 previous convictions. They include three counts of burglary, 52 for theft, 53 for being drunk and a danger and 32 for engaging in threatening behaviour.
Defence solicitor Aoife Buttimer said the 48-year-old father of five suffered from two main issues throughout his life - homelessness and addiction to alcohol.
“The cycle he ends up in is that he dries out in prison, is released, falls back into homelessness, commits crimes, drinks, and goes back into custody,” Ms Buttimer said.
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