Drunk father of four hurled abuse and was ‘squaring up’ to garda on city centre street
Story by Andrew Phelan •
19h
A father-of-four who “squared up” to a garda on a city centre street had been drinking, but alcohol “doesn’t agree with him”, a court heard.
Mohammed Ali (31) who hurled abuse at the garda in the incident, had been feeling isolated when he began drinking, his defence said.
Judge Bryan Smyth fined him €200 when he appeared in Dublin District Court.
Ali, with an address at North Circular Road, Dublin pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.
The court heard a garda was on patrol outside the GPO on O’Connell Street at 9.30pm on May 25 when Ali approached him.
The accused appeared to be highly intoxicated, was stumbling and squared up to the garda. He was verbally abusive and there was a strong smell of alcohol from his breath. The garda arrested him.
The court heard Ali had six previous convictions.
The accused was from Somalia and had been in Ireland for seven years, his solicitor Brian Doherty said.
He had been somewhat estranged from his family, felt isolated and turned to alcohol “which doesn’t agree with him", Mr Doherty said.
Ali had been employed previously as a labourer but was currently out of work.
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The judge agreed with Mr. Ali's solicitor that this was a Mogadishu.
