Man jailed for urinating in front of hotel guests

Galway District Court heard how Alan Doherty of the Fairgreen Hostel had entered the lobby on September 4 last year and caused a nuisance.

Evidence was given that he had gone into men’s toilet and taken his clothes off and proceeded to wash himself at the sink. The Duty Manager had called Gardaí after he and staff failed to get him off the premises.

By the time Gardaí arrived, Doherty, was outside the front door smoking a cigarette with a can of beer in his hand.

As Garda O’Brien approached the entrance, he saw Doherty urinating into one of the plant boxes on either side of the main door.

Earlier, Doherty, had put his hand down in front of his track suit bottom and threatened to urinate in the lobby shouting that he had not been allowed to use the hotel toilets, the Court heard.

Replying to defending solicitor, Elaine Murphy, that much of the information given in court was second hand, Garda O’Brien told Judge Mary Fahy he had seen Doherty with his own eyes urinating in public while people were around.

When he approached him he observed Doherty was highly intoxicated and his speech was slurred.

He was arrested shortly afterwards at 1.10pm.

When Doherty started talking over the court proceedings, Judge Fahy asked Ms Murphy to have a word with her client as she had seen him do this before, describing it as an effort to thwart and distract proceedings.

Ms Murphy said her client did not wish to give evidence.

Doherty pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of wine worth €11 from Centra at Forster Street on February 18 last as he had been identified on CCTV.

He was given a one-month prison sentence for the more serious Public Order offence and will run consecutive to his existing three-month sentence.

He was fined €100 for the lesser public order offence with another €100, payable forthwith, for the theft of the wine.

Judge Fahy said the whole incident must have been very upsetting for both staff and guests adding that Doherty caused a huge nuisance.