A young Letterkenny man who verbally abused Gardaí was ordered to make a €150 donation to the local youth club.
Ciaran Doherty (23) of 3 Slieve Sneacht was before last week’s sitting of the District Court charged with causing a breach of the peace on May 26, 2017.
Garda Sergeant, Jim Collins, told Judge Paul Kelly that Gardai were on mobile patrol when they were stopped at the traffic lights at the bottom of High Road, Letterkenny.
A car was crossing the junction from Port Road the main street when they observed a young man ‘hanging out’ the rear driver’s side window and he was shouting abuse at them.
They followed the car down the main street and noticed a bottle being thrown from the vehicle and striking a youth who was on the footpath.
When they finally caught up with the vehicle, Doherty became abusive to guards before being arrested.
Defending solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian, pointed out to Judge Kelly that the public order charge related to his defendant’s exchange with Gardai, and not the throwing of the bottle.
He added that the bottle was empty and it was thrown by another rear seat passenger.
“When he told Gardai ‘you’re not going to pin this on me’ he was referring to the throwing of the bottle,” Mr Dorrian said.
He said Doherty has been in Australia working for the past three years.
Judge Kelly said he would strike out the charge if Doherty made a donation of €150 to the Letterkenny Youth and Community Club.