Man who excreted in Longford garda station cell after stealing two vehicles to be sentenced

A man charged with committing 16 offences in one day, including the unauthorised taking of two cars, arson, criminal damage and excreting on the floor of a Garda cell following arrest, is due to reappear before Longford Circuit Court this week.

Michael Farrell (32), of 44 Mountpelier Gardens, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7, appeared last week before Judge Kenneth Connolly. The accused has been in custody since July 2023 when bail was refused in the District Court.

There are 16 counts on the indictment, all of which occurred on July 7, 2023. Mr Farrell is charged with taking possession of a Volkswagen Golf. Separately, he is charged with taking a second vehicle - a Mitsubishi Pajero jeep, which he is also charged with damaging by fire.

Further charges include making off without paying for €50 fuel and €30 fuel at two separate filling stations, €450 worth of criminal damage to a front door and window of a house, criminal damage to the windows of another house, criminal damage to a flower pot, handling stolen property, namely €300 in coins, taken from a glass jar, a silver pendant chain and a North Face wallet.

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He is also charged with driving without a licence, driving without insurance, two separate counts of trespass and criminal damage at Longford Garda station.

While in the Garda cell, Mr Farrell excreted on the floor and, when directed by Gardaí to put on a hazmat suit, refused to do so. Gardaí observed excrement on the suit and provided another.

However, the court heard, Mr Farrell refused to wear this and shouted “get me clothes or I’ll sh*t all over the cell and rub it all over myself” and “bring me to court in the nip”. He also picked up a tissue covered in excrement and threatened to throw it at Gardaí.

He was interviewed a number of times and denied taking the vehicles, and said the silver pendant was his grandmother’s.
The accused has a total of 222 previous convictions, the court heard. Included among these are five for burglary, six for trespass, 54 for criminal damage, 16 for public order and eight for theft.

A number of victim impact statements were read out in court on behalf of the various injured parties, some of whom said they feel vulnerable in their own homes since being broken into.

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“The burglary in our house has left my family and I with fear and uneasiness,” read one statement.

“It has forever altered our family and personal life. The sense of security we had has been replaced with a deep sense of vulnerability and fear.”

When asked what he knew about the accused, Gda Buckley said he “wasn’t aware of him” until the date of these offences.

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“He wasn’t cooperative. We were made aware he suffered a brain injury when he was younger and he outlined he was in a relationship with a lady in Athlone,” he said.

Judge Connolly, having heard all the evidence, put the case back and remanded Mr Farrell in custody.

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