Suspended term for man who verbally abused gardaí in Cork city

A 48-YEAR-OLD man verbally abused gardaí as “faggots”, threatened to rape the mothers of all gardaí, and expressed the hope they would all get cancer.

That was the insulting outburst from Stephen McNamara of no fixed address at the height of a drunken incident in Cork city.

He had 177 previous convictions.

At Cork District Court, Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a two-month suspended jail term on the accused man after he pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Sergeant John Kelleher said that the incident occurred on February 16 on Grand Parade, Cork.

Gardaí were alerted that afternoon to the fact that a man, who appeared to be intoxicated, was lying in the stairwell of a charitable organisation.

“When gardaí arrived, Mr McNamara called them faggots and said he would box them around the place,” the court heard.

Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said: “Mr McNamara came out of custody in February having done well in prison.

“He came out to no accommodation and in effect he was living on the streets. Within two days he was on alcohol again. He was very badly abusive to gardaí but it was entirely verbal.”

Mr Buttimer said that the defendant apologised for his very unacceptable comments.

Judge Dorgan noted that while it may have been verbal, the accused had to be restrained at the time.

Mr Buttimer said the accused made great progress and was now on medication for his heroin addiction.

The judge then imposed the two-month sentence, suspended on condition that he would keep the peace for the next two years.