AN "extremely
intoxicated" man was arrested after Gardai received
an anonymous tip-off that a young child was in his
care.
Forty-year old Seamus McColgan of 6 Rockdale,
Buncrana, appeared at the local court where he
admitted being drunk and aggressive when officers
arrived at his home on June 13, last, at 9.20pm. His
three-year old son was in the kitchen of the house
at the time, the court on Tuesday heard.
Gardai said the defendant was unsteady on his feet
and "wasn't fit to care for himself, let alone a
child". He was threatening and abusive to the local
officers before grabbing the child's hand and taking
him outside to the footpath, the court heard. Gardai
called the child's aunt to come and collect him.
The defendant, an unemployed fisherman, was taken to
the local Garda station where €60 worth of cannabis
resin was found on him.
Defence solicitor Paudge Dorrian said that whoever
had anonymously called Gardai had done his client "a
favour". He said there was a "very difficult family
situation" and that the child's natural mother lived
in Letterkenny. The three-year old was usually
looked after by an aunt and was supposed to have
been left back with her on the night in question but
wasn't, said Mr Dorrian.
He said his client had become emotional about his
family situation but "has a great interest in the
child". Mr McColgan had previous convictions
including being disorderly and failing to comply
with the instructions of a Garda. Judge Paul Kelly
fined him €150 and ordered him to give a donation of
€150 to Buncrana Youth Club. |
