Ardee man became aggressive to gardai

AN ALCOHOLIC who was arrested after he refused to stop drinking outside a Drogheda Church and then became abusive towards gardai calling them unsavoury names has been given further time to come up with money as a charitable donation.

Paul Reilly (46) was previously ordered by Judge John Coughlan to bring €300 with him to court - if he wanted to avoid a conviction.

However, his solicitor Dermot Monahan said the defendant was “only able to come up with €100.”

Judge Alan Mitchell agreed to adjourn the case until December 14 for the defendant to come up with the balance of €200.

Drogheda District Court previously heard the defendant was on the steps of St Peter’s Church in the town at 12.20pm. When gardai approached him and asked him to stop drinking. He was also asked to leave the area but came back and continued drinking.

“He was then arrested and became abusive towards gardai, calling them unsavoury names,” Sergeant Ray Brady told the court.

The defendant, of Ferdia Park in Ardee pleaded guilty to being intoxicated, using threatening and abusive behaviour and failing to comply with garda direction at St Peter’s Church on June 11.

Mr Monahan said the defendant, who is an alcoholic with a “significant alcohol problem” is linked in with the Red Door Project.

“When he is sober you won’t meet a nicer fella,” said Mr Monahan, “But when he drinks alcohol he doesn’t think clearly or act in an appropriate way.”