Drunk man who squared up to Cork gardaí and told them to 'f*** off' avoids jail

A 59-year-old man who squared up to gardaí during a drunken incident in Cork city and verbally abused them has been given an eight-week suspended sentence.

Alan Healy, of Cork Simon Community, appeared at Cork District Court, where he pleaded guilty to being so intoxicated that he was a danger to himself or others and to engaging in threatening behaviour during two separate incidents in Cork city.

Judge John King imposed the suspended jail sentence.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the difficulty that arose for Mr Healy was that when he was released from a prison sentence around this time in October and did not have any immediate arrangements for accommodation.

Since that time, he has settled down with the assistance of the Simon Community, which has organised full-time accommodation for him, as well as a key worker assisting him, Mr Buttimer said.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said that on October 10, gardaí observed two males acting aggressively on Patrick Street. Gardaí spoke with both parties.

“Alan Healy, of no fixed address, was intoxicated and became abusive in front of members of the public,” he said. “Alan Healy told gardaí to f**k off and squared up to Garda Michael Finn. He was arrested for being a danger to himself and others and using threatening and abusive language.”

In a second incident in the city centre around this time, gardaí received a report of a male being restrained following an assault on security staff. They arrived to see the defendant lying on the ground highly intoxicated.

“As they approached him, he was intoxicated, staggering and shouting and cursing at them,” Sgt Davis said. “This male was identified as Alan Healy and was subsequently arrested and charged by Garda Aoife McCarthy.”