A Mullingar man who was abusive to door staff at a nightclub has been fined €100.
A charge of failing to comply with the direction of Gardaí was withdrawn against Kenneth Hanlon of 29 Grange Meadows who pleaded guilty to public intoxication and threatening behaviour at Mount Street on April 13.
The court heard that when Garda David Mead was on foot patrol at 12.35am, he observed Mr Hanlon being very abusive to door staff at Spin nightclub.
He has previous public order convictions.
Mr Robert Marren told the court his client, a 24-year-old married father of four had “belatedly sought help” regarding his addiction problem and had attended a counsellor before this incident.
“How is he to maintain four children if he’s unemployed, up the town full to the gills with drink?” asked the judge.
He adjourned the threatening behaviour case to December, telling Mr Hanlon that if in the meantime he didn’t realise the monetary demands that are on a father of four, he would himself be spending Christmas with the governor of the Midlands Prison.
At that point he said “I will consider if Gardaí and your wife are happy”, and if they are, he will apply the Probation Act.
