An 18-year-old Derryman who said he would ‘sort out’ people who ejected him from a Donegal pub was found in possession of cannabis.
Jason McGuinness from 96 Lettershandoney, Dromahoe, Derry, appeared before Letterkenny District Court charged with public order offences and of unlawfully possessing a controlled drug, cannabis, on August 12 last during the Clonmany Festival.
Inspector Barry Doyle told the Court that Garda McLaughlin was on foot patrol in Clonmany at 1.05am when he received of a report of a male, who had been removed from a premises, attempting to gain entry again.
Garda McLaughlin went to the front door where he came upon the defendant.
“He became abusive and said he wouldn’t be leaving,” Inspector Doyle said. “He said he would ‘sort out’ those who had ejected him. He was directed to leave and failed to do so, so he was arrested under the public order act.”
McGuinness – who has completed the first year of a mechanical engineering course – was found in possession of a small bag of cannabis and admitted it was for his own personal use.
Solicitor for McGuinness, Patsy Gallagher, said his client had attended the festival with college friends and was ‘eeply remorseful for the embarrassment to his family in coming before the court’.
Mr Gallagher said: “He has no previous convictions and he has learned from his stupidity, He was extremely drunk and he dealt with this in a very stupid, immature way.”
Judge Deirdre Gearty said the word ‘stupidity’ jumped out at her.
“That was bravado of the highest order,” Judge Gearty said.
“That’s hardly behaviour of a gentleman who thinks he will go on in life and maybe work around the world. Does he understand how serious this is? Being extremely drunk is no excuse – and he had an illegal substance on him.
“There is no excuse in telling me how drunk you were.”
McGuinness was ordered to make a €250 donation to the Garda Benevolent Fund.
“Keep your nose clean, Mr Mcguinness,” Judge Gearty warned.