Apologises after row with wife who said he ‘was gay and wanted a man’

Gardaí were forced to settle a spat between a married couple at a hotel in Mullingar during which the wife told her husband he “was gay and wanted a man”, a court has heard.

Stephen O’Leary (33) of 1 Ardan Alainn, Farnagh Hill, Longford appeared before Judge Vincent Deane at last week’s sitting of Mullingar District Court charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at the Annebrook House Hotel on May 11 this year.

Sgt Orla Keenan said gardaí were called to the scene at around 9pm to answer reports that a young couple were engaged in a heated exchange that had spilled out into the car park.

She said as both parties continued to hurl abuse at each other, and began recording each other even after gardaí had arrived.

Sgt Keenan said the tone of the exchange deteriorated when Mr O’Leary’s wife shouted at him, telling him that he “was gay and wanted a man”.

The court was told Mr O’Leary returned verbal insults, including calling his wife “crazy”.

Sgt Keenan said the accused was told on a number of occasions to desist and tone down his behaviour and was moved away from his wife in an attempt to restore calm. Judge Deane was told Mr O’Leary continued to return to where his wife was standing and to shout, accusing her of hitting him and being under the influence of alcohol.

Mr O’Leary was arrested and charged under Section 6 of the Public Order Act, a charge he pleaded guilty to at last Thursday’s weekly court sitting.

Andrea Callan, BL, for Mr O’Leary issued an apology on his behalf, and the accused followed that by addressing Judge Deane directly. “I apologise to the hotel and to the gardaí,” he said, adding the row with his wife was little more than a “stupid argument”.

Ms Callan, meanwhile, asked the court to take account of her client’s remorse and the fact he had entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

Judge Deane accepted that version of events and fined Mr O’Leary €400, giving him six months to pay.