Jail for man who told Gardaí in Cork city that he was a former Manchester United player

A man named Daniel Spillane from Gurranabraher identified himself to gardaí as “Denis Irwin — famous soccer player” during a drunken incident, and now he has been jailed for three months.

Spillane of No 18 St Bridget’s Rd, Gurranabraher, Cork, came to the attention of gardaí because he was drunk and a source of danger to himself or others.

He went on to tell gardaí at Cattle Market St: “Fuck off out of my sight.”

When they asked him for his details, he presented himself as the former Irish international and Manchester United defender.

The incident dated back to November 10, 2019, when there was a disturbance at Cattle Market St.

Now, at Cork District Court, he has been jailed for a total of three months on the various public order charges.

He pleaded guilty to charges arising out of this, including being threatening and abusive and failing to give gardaí his correct details.

Solicitor Frank Buttimer said the 39-year-old had a history of addiction difficulties.

In relation to the public order incident, Mr Buttimer said: “It was a misjudgement of the situation by him.”

Much more recently, on April 20 this year, he was drunk and a danger and was threatening and abusive at Princes St. The overall sentence imposed by Judge Mary Dorgan was one of four months in prison.