Carlow man fined €200 over late-night scuffle in hotel
Carlow courthouse
A MAN who told the district court that he had been set upon by three people during a late-night disturbance at a Carlow hotel was fined after pleading guilty to a public order offence at Carlow District Court.
Patrick Doogue, Mountain View, New Oak, Carlow appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy, where his solicitor, John O’Sullivan, entered a guilty plea on his behalf to a section 4 charge of being intoxicated in a public place.
The court heard that gardaí were called to the Talbot Hotel, Carlow at around 1am on 22 March 2025 following an anonymous report of a disturbance. Garda Butler arrested 39-year-old Mr Doogue, who was intoxicated and unsteady on his feet, and whom gardaí said behaved in “an aggressive manner”.
He was brought to Carlow Garda Station, where a fine was issued to him. That fine went unpaid.
The court was told that Mr Doogue had previous convictions, the most recent of which was recorded before Athy District Court in July 2025, when he was fined €500 for breach of a domestic order. His most recent public order conviction was also before Athy District Court in 2025 for a section 6 offence of abusive or threatening behaviour in a public place.
In mitigation, Mr O’Sullivan told the court that “in relation to this incident, other parties in the hotel were passing remarks” at his client.
Mr Doogue interjected, saying the other parties had been insulting “my woman”.
“I had three people attacking me. Say it how it is, John, please,” he said.
Mr O’Sullivan continued: “There was a scuffle and he came out the worst.”
“I didn’t start none of it – they attacked me, they broke chairs off my back and attacked the barman as well,” Mr Doogue interjected again. “I’m pleading not guilty to this. I had a concussion. I asked to get an ambulance and they arrested me.”
Judge Carthy convicted Mr Doogue and imposed a fine of €200, to be paid within 90 days.
