A MACROOM man who smeared his spit on a garda cell wall and door and took his t-shirt off and stuffed it down the toilet blocking it, has been sentenced to 90 days in prison.
Judge James McNulty said that Adam McCa- rthy’s behaviour at Macroom Garda Station on May 19th last was ‘appalling’ and said that some other person or cleaning company had to clean up his mess.
‘That’s deeply disrespectful to others,’ he said.
Mr McCarthy of Lower Codrum, Macroom appeared at Bandon District Court last week, having been remanded in custody from Mac- room District two days previously.
He had pleaded guilty previously to crim- inal damage at Macroom Garda Station and using or engaging in threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour at Sleveen Hill in Macroom on May 19th last. Judge McNulty had requested a probation report on Mr McCarthy at his last court appearance in January.
Sgt Paul Kelly said that at 10.30pm on the night in question, gardaí in Macroom went to Sleveen Hill after receiving a report of a male kicking doors. When they met Mr McCarthy he was very drunk and unsteady on his feet.
‘He was verbally abusive to the gardaí and they arrested him and brought him to Mac- room Garda Station where he continued to be abusive,’ said Sgt Kelly.
‘Gda Evan Horan was on duty and the de- fendant repeatedly spat into the hatch at the counter.
‘When placed in a cell he smeared his spit along the wall and door and then took off his t-shirt and stuffed it down the cell toilet and blocked it.’
The court heard that the cell had to be closed for a deep clean to be carried out and the cost of the damage came to €170.25.
Judge McNulty was told that Mr McCarthy has six previous convictions including criminal damage, trespass and drugs possession.
Solicitor Patrick Gould said his client is the youngest of three and that his parents would be known to the court, while Judge McNulty commented that Mr McCarthy was the ‘victim of bad parents.’
‘He has been working the last two years and has been on his own living rough, but he got temporary accommodation eventually and he’s starting a new job in Macroom soon,’ said Mr Gould.
He added that his client has engaged with Coolmine treatment centre but that they want him clean before he’s accepted into residential treatment, so he asked the court to give his client a chance.
Mr McCarthy told the judge that he is off tablets but has a cannabis addiction, drinks a lot and has a gambling addiction. Judge McNulty said he made all this clear in January that he expected progress to be made when he requested a probation report.
‘The probation services said he is in touch with them but that he needs to be fully com- mitted to begin changing and I don’t see it,’ said Judge McNulty.
The judge added that there is clearly a lot of work to be done and that ‘his credit is all used up.’
‘That behaviour at the garda station was appalling. Some other person or cleaning com- pany had to clean up his mess and that’s deeply disrespectful to others.’
He sentenced him to 90 days in prison on the criminal damage charge and 60 days on the public order charge, with both to run con- currently.
Recognisance for an appeal was fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €100. Judge McNulty directed that Mr McCarthy is not to use or consume any controlled drug or involve himself in the sale, supply or storage of any controlled drug or collect drug debts or launder any drug money.
‘He’s already under the supervision of the probation services and he must comply with their directions. Hopefully, there will be a better probation report at that stage than the one I have now.’
