A BENCH warrant has been issued for a 59-year-old Tyrone man who became highly abusive to a Garda near a popular beach in County Donegal.
Patrick McNamee (59) or Orritor Street, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, is charged with using threatening abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, with being intoxicated in a public place and with providing a false name to Gardaí on July 11, 2020.
Garda Cole told Letterkenny District Court that she was on foot patrol at Kerrs Bay, Rathmullan at around 9.30.
The Garda said she noticed a male walking past and make a comment that she ‘could arrest me at any stage’.
The Garda said the man was staggering, got into a car and took a drink from a Tennants can that was in the centre console.
The man got out of the car and the Garda asked his name, to which he replied that it was ‘none of your f****** business’.
Garda Cole said she could smell alcohol and the man’s eyes was glazed.
“He could barely stand and was leaning against the car for support,” she said.
Garda Cole said she asked the man’s friend to tae him home and he said they were from Omagh and had nowhere booked to stay. When Garda Cole asked the man’s name again, he refused, telling her she was ‘f****** stupid and should go back to school’.
The man became abusive to onlookers who he told to ‘mind your own f****** business’.
Garda Cole arrested the man, who finally gave a name and address, and, as she was putting him into the back seat of the patrol car, he attempted to shrugged her away with his elbow and tried to close the door on her.
The man was handcuffed and taken to Milford Garda Station. Garda Cole noticed that the man gave a different address to the member in charge at the station and his friend was calling him ‘Paddy’.
McNamee’s identity was established at the station.
He was in Garda custody for four hours from his arrest to his release.
When charged, Garda Cole said McNamee was ‘still very angry’.
“He was doing a lot of banging on the cell door,” she said.
McNamee was not present in court and Judge Paul Kelly issued a bench warrant for sentencing.