Man avoids jail for smashing up a toilet in a pub on St Patrick’s Day

By Declan Brennan

A man who smashed up a toilet in a pub during St Patrick’s Day celebrations has received a suspended prison sentence after a court heard the offence was out of character.

Naoise Ó Conarain (30) of Redwood Lawn, Kilnamanagh, Tallaght Dublin pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive, insulting behaviour in a public place, contrary to Section 16 of the Public Order Act, 1994.

The offence took place on 18 March 2018 at the Old Mill Public House, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Garda Robert Stokes told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting, that on night of March 17 2018 going into the following day there was an altercation in the Old Mill pub in Tallaght, Dublin.

Mr McGillicuddy told Judge Melanie Greally that Ó Conarain had removed his shirt and that security staff separated him from the area of the altercation and placed him in the disabled toilets so that he was away from others.

Staff called gardaí and when they arrived Ó Conarain refused to open the toilet door.

He put his feet up against the wall to stop it being opened and caused damage to the toilet cistern.

Eventually he came out of the toilet and gardaí found the toilet fittings were damaged.

The court heard Ó Conarain’s only previous conviction is for an offence under the Road Traffic Act.

His lawyers told the court that this was an out of character incident which was fuelled by drink.

Ó Conarain had come to court with €1,500 in cash to be offered as a token of remorse to the publican.

Judge Melanie Greally said it was a serious outburst of aggression. She gave credit to Ó Conarain for his plea of guilty, which was offered on a trial date on December 2021.

She suspended a two-month prison sentence on condition that he keep the peace for 12 months and that the €1,500 cash be paid over to the owner of the pub.