Laois man who was aggressive to gardaí arrested and taken to garda station
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AN intoxicated Portlaoise man who became aggressive towards gardaí had to be arrested and taken to Abbeyleix Garda Station.
Garda Sgt Jason Hughes said that on 6 April, gardaí approached the defendant, who was in the De Vesci Court area of Fairgreen housing estate in Portlaoise. They got a strong smell of alcohol from him. While speaking with him, he became aggressive towards them, so much so that he had to be arrested and taken to the garda station.
Rory Freeman (32), Higgins Park, Fairgreen, Portlaoise pleaded guilty at last week’s sitting of Portlaoise District Court to being intoxicated in public and to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the time.
Sgt Hughes said the defendant has five previous public order convictions, the most recent on 28 September 2023 at Portlaoise Circuit Criminal Court, in which he had received a three-year suspended sentence.
Sgt Hughes said the offence in April would trigger the reactivation of the suspended sentence.
Defending barrister Andrew Dunne said that on the day, his client had been on his way home when he stopped off and consumed too much alcohol.
Mr Dunne said: “He is anxious the suspended sentence is not activated. He will do anything the court has in mind to avoid the suspended sentence.” Judge Susan Fay referred Mr Freeman to the probation services to carry out a community service assessment and, if necessary, to determine if he should attend Athy Alternative Programme.
She then went on to remand the defendant on continuing bail to the 12 October siting of the court.
