'You're not going to f***** arrest me, guard' said drunk Offaly man

GARDAI who went to the scene of a public order incident in Birr found a drunken, topless man who subsequently made an unfounded allegation that he had been assaulted by 10 people.

At Tullamore District Court, Garda Timothy O'Brien outlined what happened when he arrived at Mill Island, Camcor Park at about 10.10pm on August 20 last year.

Garda O'Brien said he saw Dylan Coffey (27), Cornmarket Street, Birr, a man known to him, topless, very intoxicated, unsteady on his feet, struggling to stand and “clearly a danger to himself and others”.

The garda said Mr Coffey was continually shouting and roaring in his face, standing about half a metre away and said: “You're not going to f***** arrest me, guard”.

There were a number of people across the road at a filling station forecourt watching and when the garda informed Mr Coffey he was going to be arrested and attempted to handcuff him, a struggle ensued and the man made an unsuccessful attempt to bite the guard's hand.

“I had to pepper spray him in order to get him under control at which point his behaviour ceased,” said Garda O'Brien.

The man was lashing out before the handcuffs were placed on him and the guard said his behaviour was very aggressive and abusive.

Mr Coffey was brought to Birr Garda Station and charged and insisted that he had been assaulted by up to 10 males prior to gardai arriving. He said he defended himself “like a good Irishman”.

Garda O'Brien said a review of CCTV from the forecourt showed no evidence of any assault and a number of days later Mr Coffey said he had no complaint to make about an assault.

Mr Coffey was not present in court when the evidence was given by Garda O'Brien and Judge Andrew Cody convicted him of public drunkenness and engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and issued a bench warrant for sentencing.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)