‘Halfasnakedasthe dayhewasborn’

November 2003

A young man who was seen running along the quays in New Ross while ‘ half as naked as the day he was born’ was directed to pay €300 to the court poor box when he appeared before Judge Donnchadh O Buachalla in the District Court.

21-year-old [Name witheld], from Rosbercon, admitted being intoxicated in a public place and engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in respect of the incident in the early hours of July 14 last.

A Garda witness told the court how he was on duty at 12.43 a.m. on that date when he saw the defendant running along the quay. He had no trousers, underwear, socks, or shoes on. ‘In fact, he was half as naked as the day he was born,’ said the witness, to the sound of laughter in the courtroom.

He gave chase and easily caught the defendant, who was very drunk at the time. He brought him to the Garda Station, where the young man’s modesty was restored when he was handed a pair of football togs from the gear bag of another Garda who had come on duty after first being at football training.

[Defendant] apologised to the court through his solicitor and said it would not happen again. He had gone drinking with a group of friends several hours before being spotted in his undressed state. He said he had stripped off as ‘a bet that didn’t work out too well’.

Judge O Buachalla adjourned the case to December 2, directed the defendant to pay €300 to the court poor box by that date and said that in the meantime, he should stay off the drink and stay at home each weekend night from 10 p.m. onwards.