'Back in the firing line' -Recently released prisoner was 'shouting' in Longford garden

A man with 44 convictions and whose dependency on alcohol “colours his behaviour” was back before a recent sitting of Longford District Court over an incident last month.

Mr Shane Nevin of 67 McKeon Park, Longford came to Garda attention on September 1 when he was arrested under sections 6 and 8 of the Public Order Act which respectively concern threatening behaviour and failure to comply with garda directions.

The arrest of the defendant came after Gardai received a call about a man shouting “in a front garden.”

Gardaí who arrived on the scene at the house on the Athlone Road in Longford were met by an inebriated Mr Nevin who began shouting abusive profanities towards them.

The court heard that Mr Nevin failed to leave when asked to do so.

As a result of his actions, Mr Nevin was arrested by Garda Peter Vesey of Longford Garda Station under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994 (Public Order) which relates to the use of, or engagement in, "threatening, abusive, or insulting words/behavior” in a public place.

Mr Nevin was also arrested under Section 8 of the same act, which centres around the failure to comply with orders or directions given by Gardaí to leave an area.

Upon learning that the defendant standing before her had been released from prison just last May, Judge Deirdre Gearty remarked, “And here we are back in the firing line again!”

Representing the accused, solicitor Diarmuid Quinn, replied, “That is the unfortunate position we are in. Clearly alcohol is an issue. He is also on medication. Clearly there are dependency issues with alcohol and it colours his behaviour unfortunately. He has instructed me to apologise to the Gardaí.”

Judge Gearty asked the court probation officer to conduct a same date assessment on Mr Nevin, stating that if he was deemed suitable for community service, she would consider a punishment of such in lieu of a prison term.

Mr Nevin was subsequently called back later that day alongside the court probation officer who confirmed his suitability for community service. In response, Judge Gearty said she would give the defendant “60 hours community service in lieu of 2 months imprisonment.”

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