Threatened to get garda's house burnt down

A MAN who had too much to drink and who threatened to burn a garda’s house down was convicted of a public order offence and fined when he appeared before a recent sitting of Carlow District Court.

James Summers, Lathaleer, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty to engaging in disorderly conduct after an incident that occurred in Lathaleer on 26 November 2023.

Sergeant Hud Kelly told the court that gardaí were manning a checkpoint when 42-year-old Mr Summers stepped in front of their vehicle and started to shout abuse at them. He put his two fingers up and shouted “one phone call and I’ll have your house burnt down”.

Sgt Kelly continued that the defendant hadn’t paid a fixed charge penalty notice that was subsequently sent to him and that he had no previous convictions.

Solicitor Alex Rafter told Judge Geraldine Carthy that Mr Summers had too much to drink that day and that his behaviour was “out of character for him”. He continued that his client had one dependent and was out of work.

When he submitted to Judge Carthy not to give Mr Summers a conviction, she replied that he was “very fortunate” that he was summoned with a disorderly conduct offence and not something more serious.

She said that Mr Summers’s behaviour warranted a conviction. She then convicted the defendant and fined him €350.