Man who filmed as he abused gardai in the Midlands facing prison sentence

A man who began filming gardai on his phone and became abusive when stopped will be jailed if he doesn’t donate thousands to the Garda Benevolent Fund. 

Nicholas Campion, 28, of 75 Newpark Close, Kilkenny admitted being abusive on the Mountrath Road in Portlaoise on January 2 this year. 

Gardai Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant was stopped on the Mountrath Road in Portlaoise at 2.10pm. He said the man got out of the car and began filming gardai on his phone and became abusive. 

He said the man told gardai they “were a pair of retards with nothing better to do” and he told them to f**k off. He said the man had 80 previous convictions. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client has “an appalling record” which he understood the court can’t overlook. 

“He indicates that he simply became obstreperous,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

“Clearly he has an issue with anger and taking instruction from authority,” he said. 

Mr Fitzgerald said his client had brought €300 to court. He said the man is working in a waste company. 

“He needs to think again when he is stopped by gardai,” said Judge Andrew Cody.  

He said the defendant will get a prison sentence if he doesn’t have €3,000 for the Garda Benevolent Fund as he adjourned the matter to July 27.  

Judge Cody refused an application for legal aid. 

“The State is not going to pay for that kind of dog’s abuse to gardai,” he said.