Defendant is warned over drinking habit

REPEATED public order offending by a 53-year-old man prompted Judge Brian O’Shea to tell him to face up to his drink problem or face a spell in jail.

Rory Stafford from 6 Tower Court, Westgate, Wexford, was prosecuted on the double for being drunk in public.

Garda Declan Mulqueen told how he found the accused in Selskar Street in an intoxicated condition and abusing a member of personnel from a nearby restaurant.

The garda stated to the District Court that Stafford had since made up with that person and the two men were now on good terms.

Evidence of what followed a few weeks later on the afternoon of January 16 was given by Garda Ollie Daly.

The witness recalled how he was sitting in a patrol car outside the Ulster Bank while a colleague conducted enquiries nearby.

He heard a loud bang which turned out to be the result of Stafford kicking the vehicle.

Arrested in an intoxicated condition, the defendant said he was trying to show teenagers that they needed to be rebels.

No lasting damage was done to the patrol car, though the kick dislodged a reflector which popped out but was popped back into place.

The court learned that Stafford had a record of 62 previous convictions, 44 of these imposed for public order offences.

It was stated by defence counsel that he had been diagnosed as being bipolar.

The judge concluded that the man before him would have to address his problem with alcohol.

Two consecutive prison sentences of two months each were recorded but the guilty man was offered an opportunity to stay out of jail.

He was told to keep a diary of his attendance at AA meetings and to remain of sober habits.

The case was adjourned until July 28 on this basis, with Stafford told that the sentences will be suspended once he keeps to these rules in the meantime.