y Finian Coghlan
A man who walked a female relative home after a family function but who got subsequently aggressive with a Garda car, was fined €500 in the District Court this week (January 20 ).
The court heard how Noel Joyce (34 ), with an address at St Ann’s Terrace, Athlone was found drunk on the ground in Connaught Gardens by gardai at around 1.45am on the morning of January 2.
“He was very intoxicated and was banging on the bonnet of the squad car,” said Inspector Ciaran Keyes in evidence.
Apart from a drink driving charge in 2008, all of Joyce’s previous convictions were in the distant past, the court heard after his conviction.
In mitigation, his solicitor, Mr Padraig Quinn, told the court how his client had been at a family new year celebration.
“He did the chivalrous thing and walked his aunt home [to Connaught Gardens],” said Mr Quinn.
“Unfortunately, he continued drinking shorts and walked out into fresh air.”
Judge John Neilan fined him €500 on the pubblic order offence and, having noted Joyce hadn’t worked since last February, gave him four months to pay.
