A Letterkenny man who made a rude gesture to gardai while shouting abuse at officers has been fined in court.
Dean McGeever, who has 47 previous convictions, was before Letterkenny District Court.
The 35-year-old, of Carrygawley, Letterkenny, was charged in connection with an incident on January 22, 2025.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that at Lower Main Street at 11.40pm, gardai observed McGeever in a highly intoxicated state and unsteady on his feet.
McGeever showed his two middle fingers to the gardai and began shouting abuse. While McGeever was asked to desist from his behaviour, he continued in the same manner.
McGeever was arrested and conveyed to Letterkenny Garda Station. When he sobered up, he was apologetic, the court heard.
Mr Frank Dorrian, solicitor for McGeever, said his client has a difficulty which he is trying to address.
“This was a relapse,” Mr Dorrian said, adding that his client was “out of control” and “irrational” at the time.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said she would give McGeever credit for his early plea, but noted that he had a number of relevant previous convictions.
The court was informed that McGeever has 16 previous convictions for being intoxicated in a public place as well as six for obstructing a peace officer in the course of duty.
McGeever was convicted on a charge of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour in a public place with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless about causing one, contrary to section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.
Judge Cunningham fined the accused €200 and allowed him six months to pay.
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