Threw blood at garda in chaotic rampage at garda gtation
Carlow Garda Station
A MAN whose blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit went on a chaotic rampage through a garda station, throwing his own blood at an officer and daubing it across a cell wall after being arrested following an early morning encounter on a rural road.
Carlow District Court heard that on the night of 14 September 2024, gardaí on patrol near Ballyadams, on the road between Goresbridge and Borris, observed a Renault car cross the central median and come towards them, forcing |Garda Wilkinson to brake sharply to avoid a collision.
“It had crossed the central median and was obstructing the road and still moving towards me,” Garda Wilkinson told the court.
He activated the flashing lights and signalled the car to stop. The vehicle crossed the bridge and came to a halt in the middle of the road on Main Street in Goresbridge, where the driver, Paul Nolan (45), Rivercourt, Goresbridge, immediately volunteered that he had been drinking. The smell of alcohol was evident and his speech was slurred.
Mr Nolan failed a roadside breath test and was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving. He was placed, without handcuffs, in the patrol car and taken towards the nearest garda station.
“En route he began to become agitated and was abusive towards us. He had to be told to sit back down because he was trying to interfere with the driver in front,” Garda Wilkinson said.
Due to ongoing construction works, the gardaí were forced to park some distance from the station and walk the remainder of the way on foot.
Mr Nolan’s agitation escalated. He bolted up the steps of the station, ran through the double doors and had to be physically restrained inside.
During the struggle, he ran into an upstairs toilet, locked the door behind him and refused to come out. When gardaí forced the door open, it struck Mr Nolan, who was standing directly behind it, causing a cut to his forehead. Blood began collecting in his hand and what happened next formed the basis of the criminal damage and assault charges before the court.
Mr Nolan threw blood at Garda Wilkinson, striking him in the face. He then daubed and wiped blood on the wall of his cell and etched Garda Conway’s collar number into the plaster.
A blood sample taken at the station found Mr Nolan had 180mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, well above the legal limit of 80mg. However, the drink-driving charge was dismissed after Judge Geraldine Carthy accepted a challenge to the chain of custody of the blood sample.
Solicitor Chris Hogan argued that the garda who transported the sample to the medical bureau had not given evidence in court. “The integrity of the sample has not been proved,” he submitted. “Garda Wilkinson didn’t bring the sample – a different garda who did not give evidence in court did. I am asking for dismissal on those grounds.”
Judge Carthy agreed. “The court must have full evidence,” she said. “He did not give any evidence that it was in his locker until it was passed on. The court can’t be satisfied.”
The drink-driving charge was duly dismissed.
On the remaining charges, Mr Hogan offered no defence of his client’s conduct in the station. “There is no excuse for my client’s behaviour. It was absolutely abysmal and he has asked to apologise to the gardaí and members here,” he said.
In mitigation, Mr Hogan told the court that Mr Nolan had suffered a relationship breakdown and was estranged from his children. He said that following his release from custody that night, Mr Nolan attended hospital and was diagnosed with a serious concussion, which, his solicitor suggested, may have been a factor in his behaviour. He had sustained the head injury when the toilet door was forced open.
On the question of the blood-throwing incident, Mr Hogan offered a nuanced account of his client’s version of events. Mr Nolan accepted that blood had landed on Garda Wilkinson’s face, but maintained it was not thrown deliberately; rather, the blood was on his hand at the time and “a flicking motion” had caused it to land there inadvertently.
“He accepts responsibility, but it wasn’t his intention at the time; it was out of recklessness,” said Mr Hogan.
The court heard that Mr Nolan, who is from Kilkenny, has a previous conviction from Kilkenny District Court, a 2022 assault causing harm, for which he received a three-month prison sentence, recorded in 2025.
Mr Hogan asked the court to allow his client time to bring compensation, noting that Mr Nolan expected a work bonus in July that would make this possible. Judge Carthy remanded the defendant on continuing bail until that date, when she directed that he appear before the court and bring the money with him.
