'It’s a wonder he’s not dead,' Cork man pleads guilty to biting garda on wrist

“It’s a wonder he’s not dead,” a judge commented, when she read a report that a man consumed a litre of Captain Morgan’s rum after six hours of drinking beer in a pub and also taking cocaine.

Robert McCann, aged 33, of Meadowbrook, Riverstown, Glanmire, said at Cork District Court to say in relation to the bottle of rum: “I didn’t drink it all — there was two of us.”

Even so, Judge Mary Dorgan said it was easy to believe what the defendant told the Probation Service — that he had absolutely no memory of what happened on the night.

Judge Dorgan adjourned sentencing of Robert McCann until January 16 on the charge of biting a member of An Garda Síochána in Glanmire. He pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Sergeant John Dineen outlined the background to the incident involving McCann.

“On March 17, Garda Allie Mullins O’Keeffe and Garda Eric Stafford were on mobile patrol in Riverstown, Glanmire, when Robert McCann was observed,” Sgt Dineen said.

“He was in the middle of the road and stumbling as he attempted to walk. On viewing gardaí, he gestured with his middle finger towards them and told Garda Mullins O’Keeffe to ‘f*** off’.

“Garda Mullins O’Keeffe exited the patrol vehicle and requested him to move to the footpath.

“As she approached him, he attempted to run away.

“He was apprehended 100m down the road. He was arrested at 8.50pm for being intoxicated to such an extent that he was a danger to himself or others at School Terrace, Riverstown, and for threatening behaviour.

“In the course of effecting the arrest of Robert McCann, he resisted and bit Garda Eric Stafford on the wrist, breaking the skin.

“He was conveyed to Mayfield Garda Station.”

The 33-year-old admitted assault causing harm to Garda Stafford, obstruction, engaging in threatening behaviour, and being drunk and a danger.

The defendant is on continuing bail conditions which include signing on three times a week at Mayfield Garda Station, residing at his home address, abstaining from intoxicants, and keeping an 11pm to 7am curfew.

Bail also included his own bond of €1,000 with a cash lodgement of €800, as well as an independent surety of €1,000. He has also gathered €1,000 compensation to date, his solicitor Shane Collins-Daly confirmed.