A man with an “appalling record” of drunken behaviour was lucky to avoid jail time after his two month sentence was suspended for a year in the District Court this week (September 8 ).
Before Judge Patrick McMahon was Aidan Conroy (25 ) from 22, College Park, Athlone who had pleaded guilty to four public order charges on July 28 but had his case put back to this week for a probation report.
As Judge Hamill had not heard the facts of the case on that date, Inspector Nicholas Farrell obliged the court, and explained how Conroy had been arrested in the early hours of May 3 and June 2 on Church Street, Athlone whilst “extremely intoxicated” and aggressive on both occcasions.
The court also heard how on the June date, Conroy had been found “sitting on the ground in front of cars going in and out of Karma [nightclub]”, whilst on the May occasion “as the patrol car pulled off he aimed a kick at it”.
Conroy had eight previous convictions, all of which were for public order offences.
He instructs me he has a binge drinking problem,” said his solicitor, Mr Tony McLynn.
“He has an appalling record, and is wasting valuable Garda time,” said the judge.
“As night follows day, I haven’t heard half of what he said to the Guards on the nights in question.”
He then sentenced Conroy to two months in prison on each of the Section 6 offences - threatening and abusive behaviour - which he suspended for a year.
“If he re-offends within 12 months he’ll go to prison. And that’s a promise,” Judge McMahon warned Conroy’s solicitor.
He then added a €200 fine for the two Section 8 offences - failure to follow Garda directions.
