Mallow Garda Station 'not a hotel', judge tells man who refused to sign bond releasing him from custody

A Cork man who was arrested for public intoxication refused to sign his bail papers at Mallow Garda Station because he did not want to be thrown out on the street at night, the district court has heard.

Court presenter, Sergeant Majella O’Sullivan, told Fermoy District Court that Cormac Fitzpatrick, aged 45 with an address at South Terrace, Cork, was arrested on October 9, 2025, at Ball Alley Lane, Mallow, Co Cork.

Fitzpatrick was arrested for being intoxicated in a public place contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 because gardaí believed his state of intoxication was so great that he was a danger to himself and to others.

The court was told that Fitzpatrick would not sign a bail bond at Mallow Garda Station to authorise his release and so remained in custody. 

When asked why he would not sign the bond, Fitzpatrick, who had 56 previous convictions including 34 for public order offences, said: “They were going to throw me out in the street at night.”

Judge Colm Roberts said Fitzpatrick clearly knew what he was doing and told the accused that the garda station “is not a hotel.” Fitzpatrick was convicted, fined €75 and given two months to pay the fine.