Gardaí had to use handcuffs to arrest Cork man who ‘over-indulged’

Handcuffs had to be used in order to arrest a 57-year-old man at the height of a drunken incident where he called people passing by in Cork city centre “bastards and retards”, but now he has said: “I just over-indulged.”

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the incident occurred at around 9.30pm on February 28.

Gardaí saw Stephen Carroll, who lives at an apartment on 49 Thomas Davis St, Blackpool, Cork, being highly abusive to members of the public on Patrick Street.

“He was telling members of the public to f*** off, calling them bastards and retards on multiple occasions,” said Sgt Davis.

“When gardaí spoke to him, he was unsteady on his feet, there was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor from him, and he had glossy eyes.

“Stephen Carroll was told he was being arrested. He then tried to walk away from gardaí and became aggressive trying to resist the arrest.

“Officers placed handcuffs on him for their safety, to carry out the arrest,” Sgt Davis said.

He pleaded guilty to obstructing gardaí, engaging in threatening behaviour, and being so intoxicated that he was a danger to himself or others.

Solicitor Diane Hallahan said the defendant had written a letter of apology to the gardaí, in which he said that he did not wish to carry on the way he did on the night, that he was sorry for his behaviour, and it would not happen again.

He had 60 previous convictions, including four for being drunk and a danger, and eight for threatening behaviour.

Ms Hallahan said Carroll had been out of trouble for a long period and that his last conviction dated back to September 2019.

Judge Mary Dorgan hoped that this incident in February this year was a one-off, and noted that he was on a lot of medication.

She imposed a €350 fine for threatening behaviour and took the other charges into consideration.