Man found covered in vomit and urine outside Portlaoise cafe

A man who twice absconded from the Portlaoise Hospital was found covered in urine and vomit in Portlaoise. 

Thomas McGarry (66) of 77 Marina Court, Athy, Co Kildare admitted being intoxicated and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour at Dublin Road, Portlaoise on July 7, 2024. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had absconded from treatment twice in one day. He was discovered outside a cafe on the Dublin Road “covered in urine and vomit” and drinking a bottle of wine at 3.30pm. He said the defendant has 40 previous convictions. 

Andrew Dunne BL said while his client’s probation indicated he was at risk of reoffending “most aspects are quite positive” in his report. He told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court that the background to the offending was addiction. 

Judge Susan Fay placed the man under the supervision of the probation services for 12 months and gave him a two month sentence suspended for one year.