The luck of the Irish sees no convictions

AN IRISH national looking to obtain Australian citizenship didn’t help his cause by a drunken night out in Toowoomba, a magistrate warned.

Patrick Gerard McKenna lived in New South Wales but was staying in Toowoomba while working on the Second Range Crossing project in May.

Upon completion of his work, instead of returning to New South Wales, the 30-year-old decided to stick around and have a night out with workmates on May 25, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

He got so drunk he was refused entry into the Shamrock Hotel about 11.45pm and became abusive with staff, shaping up to and verbally abusing security officers.

Police called to the scene told McKenna to stop his verbal abuse which only prompted him to reply “I will speak to you how the f*** I want”, police prosecutor Senior Constable Christie Mahoney said.

He had then struggled with police when arrested and continued his unco-operative behaviour at the watch house when refusing to change out of his clothes into watch house issue garb, she said.

McKenna pleaded guilty to public nuisance, obstructing police and resisting an authorised person after being refused entry.

His lawyer Shane Hough (Munro Legal) said his client hailed from County Tyrone but had been in Australia some years.

He hadn’t had a drink in 18 months prior to this incident as he realised he had a binge drinking problem.

His client recalled little of the evening in question, he said.

Mckenna was an Australian resident and was seeking to obtain Australian citizenship, Mr Hough said.

Magistrate Catherine Pirie said if McKenna was looking to obtain citizenship, “You’re going about it the wrong way”.

Noting that a conviction might hinder his chances of obtaining Australian citizenship, Ms Pirie ordered the convictions not be recorded but fined him a total $1200.