Longford man who told gardaí he was 'going for a curry chip', telling officers four times to f*** off escapes conviction

John Kelly, 6 Weavers Hall, Longford was charged with two public order offences as a result of an incident at Ballymahon Street, Longford on May 3 2019.

Sgt Paddy McGirl said gardaí noticed Mr Kelly staggering across the road in an intoxicated state at 12:20am.

The sergeant said one of the officers present asked the accused man for his name and address and was repeatedly told to f*** off.

Mr Kelly, who was represented by solicitor John Quinn, attempted to shed further light on what happened as he addressed Judge Seamus Hughes directly.

“I picked up a mars bar wrapper from the ground, put it in my pocket and said I was going home,” said Mr Kelly.

“Then, three people started asking me these questions all at once. They were asking me what was my name, where I was going. I wasn’t able to answer them all at once.”

Mr Kelly said he continued his discussion with gardaí by telling them he was “going for a curry chip”, leading Judge Hughes to comically reply: “What, after a Mars bar?”

Mr Kelly also claimed he had been subject to some rough treatment on the night, adding he believed two of the officers were attempting to goad him into a fight.

“I am telling you the truth here,” he told Judge Hughes.

“I don’t think they teach them that in Templemore.”

Judge Hughes said given the incident was at the “very low end” of the public order spectrum, he afforded Mr Kelly a strike out on both charges before him.