A Buncrana man, who was arrested twice for public drunkenness in the space of two weeks, is eager to come out of prison with a “clean slate”, a court has heard.
Gary King, of Straboe, Cockhill, Buncrana, entered a guilty plea to two charges of being intoxicated in public last year when he appeared before Buncrana District Court.
Solicitor Frank-Aran Murphy told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that his client was currently in custody.
“We’re anxious to deal with the matters because he wants to leave prison with a clean slate,” he said.
Sergeant Emmet Brady outlined the facts of the cases against the 41-year-old defendant. He explained how Garda Hamilton had been called to the Ard Crana housing estate in Cockhill on July 23, 2024. The female occupant of a house had called the guards to report that she wanted the accused, Gary King, removed from the house as he was intoxicated and causing a disturbance.
On arrival at the scene, Garda Hamilton observed that Gary King had left the house but he was “stumbling around” outside.
He was highly intoxicated, unsteady on his feet, and unable to say where he was going.
Sgt Brady told the court that Mr King was arrested because he was a danger to himself and others in the vicinity. A fixed charge penalty notice was subsequently issued in respect of the offence but it was unpaid.
The court then heard brief details of a second offence, which had occurred at the same location just over two weeks earlier.
On this occasion, Garda McMahon arrived at Ard Crana on July 6, 2024. Mr King was present and was intoxicated to such an extent that he was a danger to himself and others.
Once again, a fixed charge penalty notice was sent out in the post but the defendant failed to pay and a summons was issued instead.
Defence solicitor Murphy told the judge that Mr King could not have paid the postal fines because he was serving a custodial sentence when the letters would have arrived at his address: “He went into custody on the 23rd and the fixed charges obviously couldn’t have gone to the prison. He would have been eligible for a fixed charge notice.”
Mr Murphy said Mr King is turning his life around for the better: “He wants to leave prison with a clean slate; once he’s done, he’s done. He’s doing very well thankfully in prison. He’s working in prison.”
Judge Cunningham said she would mark a conviction on one of the Section 4 summonses and take the other matter into account. She imposed a fine of €100 for the July 6 offence, payable forthwith, with five days [in prison] in lieu of the fine.
The judge also granted Mr Murphy’s request for Legal Aid, which wouldn’t normally be permitted for relatively minor Public Order offences.
“I will grant it due to the complexities with this matter and because there are so many sheets before this court,” Judge Cunningham explained.