Man found in bare feet following late night row issues public apology

Gardaí were forced to arrest a Mullingar man who began hurling abuse at members of his family while in his bare feet during an early morning row in a local housing estate, a court has heard.

Padraig Kelly (42) with an address at 14 The Cedars, Lakepoint Park, Mullingar, Westmeath, pleaded guilty at Mullingar District Court last week to two counts of public order following an incident on May 26 last.

Mr Kelly was arrested, the court heard, by gardaí shortly after they came across him barefooted and in such an intoxicated state he was unable to stand up straight.

Judge Vincent Deane was told Mr Kelly had previous convictions, the most recent of those in 2013.

Andrea Callan, BL, apologised on behalf of her client and said the initial flare-up had stemmed from a row Mr Kelly was having with his son.

“He apologises and he accepts he shouldn’t have behaved in that way,” she said.

Ms Callan asked the court to consider her client’s early guilty plea and the “significant vintage” of Mr Kelly’s previous convictions.

In view of that, she recommended allowing the accused make a donation to the court poor box, sparing him a criminal conviction.

Judge Deane turned down that request, but fined Mr Kelly €200 for a charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour.

A second charge of public intoxication was taken into account.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme