‘You risk a holiday at State’s expense’
A SLIGO resident who asked gardai for a lift from Ballymote to Sligo while he was drunk has been told at Sligo District Court that he will be jailed if a report from Social Ground Force is not “written in gold”.
Kenneth Pugh, 31, from Maryville Hostel, Sligo, pleaded guilty to a charge of being drunk and a danger to himself and others and using threatening and abusive behaviour at Hilliview Drive, Ballymote, on May 19 last year. Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that that an altercation arose at a house in Hillview Drive, Ballymote. Gardaí arrived and the defendant followed one of the gardaí and demanded that he be given a lift back to Sligo and was abusive. He was arrested and later charged. The court was told he had seven previous convictions including some public order matters. Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said the defend- ant was a 32-year-old father of one, was very drunk and was very apologetic to the garda that he asked for the lift.
The solicitor said that defendant was dealing with his alcohol issues and was working with Aubrey Melville and Social Ground Force. He knows that alcoholism is a serious issue for him. The defendant did something very foolish in asking for a lift.
The defendant apologised to the court and said he apologised to the garda in question the next day. Mr Melville told the court that Social Ground Force was prepared to work with the defendant to get him clean and sober.
They were going to sign him up for rehab. At present he was staying in Manorhamilton. Judge Raymond Finnegan said he was going to test the defendant’s resolve by remanding him on continuing bail until October 14 for a pre-sentence report from Mr Melville.
“If that report is not written in gold you will be sent on your holidays at the State’s expense. Your record is not good, and I am not impressed with the way you dealt with the gardaí. You are at risk of jail if the report is not good.”