Man ripped up mattress in Kildare garda station cell

A MAN appeared before Naas District Court last week for public order offences and criminal damage at a garda station.

It was that the accused destroyed a cell at Kildare Garda Station, ripping up a mattress, and causing damage, after the arrest.

Mark Gallagher, (41) of St Bridget Square, Portarlington, Laois appeared in the court on Wednesday 8 October 8 before Judge Desmond Zaidan.

Mr Gallagher, who has two previous convictions on his record, was arrested by Kildare gardaí due to threatening and abusive behaviour while being intoxicated in public at Market Square in Kildare town on 14 May 2024.

It is alleged that the accused called the gardaí present “garda scumbags” on arrest.

While being held in a cell at Kildare Garda Station, the accused committed criminal damage.

“What did he do?” said Judge Zaidan.

“He ripped up a mattress in a cell destroying it,” alleged Sgt Dave Hanrahan.

Getting the brunt of it

Solicitor Tim Kennelly stepped in on his client’s behalf, explaining that his client is apologetic for his behaviour and told the court that on the day of the alleged crimes the accused has just found out that his friend had tragically committed suicide.

“I’m not trying to justify it,” he said. “But he just found out that his friend committed suicide.”

The solicitor accepted the “horrendous behaviour” of the accused, but told the court of how far Mr Gallagher had come in terms of his drug addiction, where he has been clean from heroin for 12 years.

“The poor garda got the brunt of it,” explained Mr Kennelly.

“I think the mattress got the brunt of it,” replied Judge Zaidan.

Judge Zaidan imposed a €600 fine on the criminal damage charge and took the other offences into consideration.