Kildare man who absconded from hospital found drunk by gardaí
Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise
A KILDARE man who absconded from Portlaoise hospital was found nearby in a drunken state covered in vomit and urine.
That’s what Judge Susan Fay was told when Thomas McGarry from Marina Court, Athy came before a recent sitting of Portlaoise District Court for being intoxicated in a public place and to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour on 7 July at Dublin Road, Portlaoise.
Mr McGarry had previously entered a guilty plea to the charges and had been remanded to appear in court following a probation report.
Garda sgt JJ Kirby said on the day “at 3.30pm, Mr McGarry was found outside the Brew Café along the Dublin Road after he had absconded from treatment at Portlaoise hospital. He was discovered intoxicated, covered in urine and vomit.”
Sgt Kirby said the 66-year-old had 40 previous convictions.
Defending barrister Andrew Dunne said the background to Mr McGarry’s behaviour is his addiction to alcohol.
Judge Fay convicted the defendant of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, sentenced him to two months in prison, suspended for one year.
The defendant was also placed on a 12-month supervisory order for being intoxicated in a public place.
