Defendant with alcohol issues had to be physically restrained by hospital staff, hears Carlow court

A TWENTY-five-year-old man with no fixed address has been sentenced to six months in prison for public order offences, including an incident where he had to be physically restrained by hospital staff.

Mr Dylan Cleary appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Carlow District Court, where he entered guilty pleas to the charges.

The court heard evidence from a garda Kelly, who was on beat patrol at a public park in Kilkenny city on 9 July 2025 at 10.45pm when he came upon Mr Cleary in a highly intoxicated state sitting on a park bench. The garda said Mr Cleary was so drunk that he wasn’t able to give details when asked.

He was arrested for his own safety and taken to Kilkenny Garda Station, where he was charged with a section 4 public order offence of intoxication in public.

Evidence was also given that a garda McNamara was called to St Luke’s hospital in Kilkenny on 8 June 2025 at 10.40pm in relation to a male being abusive towards hospital staff, “shouting and roaring” in the hospital. Mr Cleary had to be physically restrained by a number of hospital staff members. He was arrested and later charged.

The court heard that Mr Cleary has 34 previous convictions, including several for public intoxication and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in a public place. He had failed to appear in court for a previous public order offence dating back to May 2025. His latest conviction was for a road traffic matter, for which he was given a €250 fine.

Defence solicitor Joe Farrell told the court: “He tells me this was his son’s first Christmas and he missed that. I’m asking the court to take into consideration that he has served a period in custody from 23 December.” He added: “That’s his own fault, but I ask the court to bear it in mind.” Mr Farrell said in mitigation that his client has had intoxication problems “on more than one occasion,” but asked the court “to be as benevolent as it can,” saying Mr Cleary, who was in court on the day, “appeared much calmer” and was aware of his problems with alcohol and is trying to fix it.

Judge Carthy noted that Mr Cleary pleaded guilty to all offences but also noted that the more serious one was a section 6 offence at St Luke’s hospital. She noted he was in custody due to 32 previous bench warrants, adding: “There is no doubt about it, he has a challenging addiction and it is ongoing; it is quite live at the moment.” Judge Carthy sentenced Mr Cleary to two months in prison for the section 6 offence, taking the section 4 into account. He was also given four months in prison for a section 31 offence due to the previous bench warrants.

A €500 own bond with a €300 cash lodgement was set for bail on the condition that he not reoffend. 

Mr Farrell told the court that his client had “very limited resources in terms of a cash lodgement,” but the judge said she couldn’t do anything about it