Portlaoise Court: Laois teenager called gardaí ‘rats’
Image for illustration purposes
WHILE gardaí were on mobile patrol in Esker Hills housing estate in Portlaoise, a teenager began shouting and calling them ‘rats.’ When gardaí approached him, he abused and threatened them. When told to leave the area, he failed to do so and had to be arrested.
Portlaoise District Court was told that the incident took place at 10.45pm on 6 August last year.
Rico Donoghue (19), 2 Heather Lane, Esker Hills, Portlaoise pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, failing to comply with the directions of a garda and to failing to provide a name and address at the time.
Judge Susan Fay noted the defendant had previously been before her and told him that she had given him a chance.
She said when Mr Donoghue was before her for another matter, she had instructed that he attend the Athy Alternative Programme and had only engaged in three of the sessions.
She told him: “You can’t be disrespectful to the gardaí.”
Mr Donoghue’s barrister said that while his client had not completed the full programme, he did attend a number of sessions, that there was a positive probation report before the court and “that his ability to engage has improved.” The barrister said that Mr Donoghue: “Maintains that the incident was over-execrated by the gardaí.” Judge Fay said: “He’s had loads of opportunities if only he had engaged with the probation service.”
She went on to convict the defendant of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and placed him on a 12-month probation bond and took the other two matters into consideration.
