Stout of jail
SEIZED PINTS FREED
THE 20 pints of Guinness seized when gardai raided a pub delivery service have been freed, it was revealed.
They were taken by officers who visited O’flaherty’s Bar in Buncrana, Co Donegal, on Saturday night.
But the jars of plain were yesterday returned to their rightful owner by gardai – still in their sealed pint glasses but two days old.
Cops said they had received complaints by members of the public about the Guinness Express service being operated by the bar.
O’flaherty’s admitted they were delivering pints of the black stuff to thirsty customers within a 5km radius of the bar on the Inishowen town’s Main Street.
The bar even posted videos of satisfied customers enjoying their drinks at home.
It is understood the bar owners had spoken to gardai earlier last week but they could not be told which law they were breaking when delivering the pints.
Then on Saturday evening, gardai, including a local sergeant, a detective and a uniformed officer, arrived at the well-known premises.
They confiscated the pints, which were all in pint glasses and sealed with cling film.
The drinks were then taken into custody at Buncrana Garda station.
Gardai later confirmed that a file on the matter was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The bar owners then announced on their Facebook page that they had been left with no option but to cease the Guinness Express.
The bar was immediately inundated with complaints from members of the public about the scrapping of the service.
An online campaign with the hashtag line #Freethe20stout then gathered momentum. Now it has been revealed that the confiscated pints of plain have been returned to the pub by Gardai.
O’flaherty’s confirmed they received the confiscated pints back but said they did not want to comment further on the matter.
A source said not a drop was missing from the confiscated alcohol but they were a little flat.
He added: “Some say it was just a bit of fun.
“Others say if the bars are supposed to be closed then the gardai are really only doing their jobs.
“It’s the talk of the town here but I honestly don’t think the gardai thought this one through.
“The pints have been freed. The 20 stout are free but you certainly wouldn’t be drinking them.
“They’re as flat as anything.”