A young Oranmore man who had been found extremely drunk and out in the middle of the road by a passing Garda was glad that he had been arrested as it may have saved his life.
The Galway District Court also heard last Wednesday that Aidan O’Malley, who had been drinking all day after losing his job, asked the arresting officer what would happen if he was headbutted.
The 25-year-old with an address at 3 Ash Haven, Oranmore, appeared before Judge Mary Fahy charged with being found in a state of intoxication and being a danger to traffic and himself at Maree Road, Oranmore, on November 30, 2008.
The court heard that on the date in question at 11pm gardai on mobile patrol came across the defendant standing in the middle of the road with his arms up in the air. They found the defendant to be highly intoxicated and were forced to arrest him for his own safety. On the way to the station he became abusive and asked the arresting officer: “What would happen if I headbutted you?”
Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn said that his client, who is single, had just lost his job at an entertainment company in Oranmore. He said that because of these circumstances O’Malley went drinking early in the day and “events overtook him”. He added that O’Malley did make attempts to apologise to the Garda the following day.
“Standing out in the middle of the road was serious for him and would be devastating for any driver who hit him. It was lucky for him that that the garda arrested him,” said Judge Fahy.
The defendant admitted that he was glad he had been arrested but that he had no recollection of it.
Mr MacLynn asked Judge Fahy to give the defendant a chance by allowing him to make a donation.
Judge Fahy replied that she would need to talk to the Garda officer who arrested O’Malley. She remanded the defendant on continuing bail until April 22, 2009, and ordered him to have €400 ready to donate to the Garda Benevolent Fund.
