Drunken man caused €2,000 worth of damage to Carlow hotel
The Talbot Hotel, Carlow
A CARLOW man who had “far too much to drink” while he was on medication for epilepsy ended up in the local district court after he caused €2,000 worth of damage in the Talbot Hotel in Carlow. Thomas O’Callaghan, 52 Askea Lawns, Carlow pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the hotel, arising from an incident that occurred on 18 July this year.
Sergeant James Kearney told the court that gardaí received a call from the hotel about a disturbance and that when they arrived there, they found Mr O’Callaghan (23) being restrained by members of the public. He continued that the defendant had caused €2,000 worth of damage to the reception area of the hotel and that he had a previous conviction for causing criminal damage.
“That’s a lot of money and a lot of damage,” said solicitor Chris Hogan.
He said that Mr O’Callaghan wished to apologise to the hotel and the gardaí and that he was “highly embarrassed” about what he had done.
Mr Hogan continued that Mr O’Callaghan had met a friend that night and that they had dinner together, during which he drank wine. He said that the friend was staying in the hotel and that he had “far too much to drink”.
Mr Hogan also told Judge Geraldine Carthy that his client was on medication for epilepsy at the time but that he wasn’t blaming the medication for his behaviour and was taking full responsibility for it. He continued that Mr O’Callaghan had €1,000 in court by way of compensation and that he had undertaken to pay for the rest of the damage.
Judge Carthy said that the defendant was “on the cusp of a custodial sentence” and ordered a probation report to be prepared before she finalised the case. She then adjourned the matter until 10 December next.
