Cork pub doorman called a 'black c***' by customer

An altercation at the entrance to a pub spilled over into verbal abuse of the doorman by a customer who called him a “black c***”, and said it was his country and he would do what he wanted.

Sergeant John Dineen said at Cork District Court that Denver Cooke, aged 47, of Na Bánta, Ladysbridge, Cork, came to the attention of gardaí who were called to the scene.

“On June 8, 2024, at 1.10am, security flagged down gardaí. A man was on Oliver Plunkett St, highly intoxicated and extremely verbally abusive towards gardaí and door security,” he said.

“He was shouting at security: ‘Black c***’. Gardaí approached the male, who shouted: ‘Fuck you scumbags … Court will do nothing, the stupid fuckers … it’s my country I’ll do what I fucking want.’

“He was arrested under the Public Order Act, and conveyed to Bridewell Garda Station.”

He was later charged with engaging in threatening words or behaviour and being so intoxicated that he was a danger to himself or others.

Shane Collins-Daly, solicitor, complained that the outline given by the sergeant was the first time he had heard of these specific allegations, and that the precis given to the defence merely said that he was extremely verbally abusive.

“The other details are a surprise to me,” Mr Collins-Daly said.

Judge Darach McCarthy asked in light of that whether the defendant wanted to withdraw his pleas of guilty to the charges. Mr Collins-Daly said the guilty pleas remained.

Mr Collins-Daly said: “On the night in question he was in a bar on Oliver Plunkett St. 

"He had a disagreement with security. He felt he was not treated correctly and that the security were heavy-handed, that he was put on the ground.”

Sgt Dineen said the accused man had two previous convictions for engaging in threatening behaviour, two for being intoxicated and a danger, as well as one 10 years ago for assault causing harm.

Judge McCarthy said the defendant was meeting the case in a very honourable way, that it dated back two years, and that he had not been in any difficulties other that this for the last 10 years. 

The judge said that on payment of €200 to the court poor box the two charges would be struck out. That payment was later made and the charges struck out.