Roaring and shouting in Laois village

A fine was handed down to a man who was roaring and shouting in a Laois village.

Gordon Bergin, 47, of Ballycleary, Castletown admitted being drunk and abusive in Castletown on January 10, 2023. 

Sergeant JJ Kirby said gardai were called to Ballycleary on the night in question where the defendant, who was “highly intoxicated”, was shouting and roaring profanities in a public place. 

He said people would have been “woken up and disturbed” by the incident which occurred at 12.50am. Sgt Kirby said the defendant has 39 previous convictions but his most recent dates back to 2013. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client lives with his brother and sister. 

“There had been drinking that night and he and his sister had words. She called the gardai,” Ms Fitzpatrick explained. 

She said the defendant was a painter and would have had issues with alcohol in the past. 

“This is his first public order breach in quite a considerable time,” she remarked. 

She asked Judge John Brennan to take into account the fact that there was no physical altercation and her client had entered an early guilty plea.

Judge Brennan said it was an unpleasant incident for the people of Castletown, particularly at that hour in the morning. 

Judge Brennan fined the man €300 for being abusive and took the charge of intoxication into account. He fixed recognisance in case of appeal.