Drunk man who wouldn't drop traffic cone for Letterkenny gardai gets fined

A man who refused to put down a traffic cone he was carrying around Letterkenny Main Street while drunk has been fined in court.

Colm Furey did not appear at Letterkenny District Court, where the case was dealt with in his absence.

Detective Garda Eimear Hassett told the court that gardai were on mobile patrol at 2.45am on February 4, 2023 at Main Street, Letterkenny.

Officers observed a male walking and “stumbling forward”. The man had a traffic cone in his hands above his shoulders, Detective Garda Hassett told the court.

Furey, a 24-year-old of Belcoo in County Fermanagh, was stopped by gardai and asked for his name under section 24 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994.

Gardai informed Furey that he was committing an offence and he refused to provide his details. Detective Garda Hassett said that Furey also refused to put the cone back on the ground.

Furey was arrested and conveyed to Letterkenny Garda Station. A fixed charge penalty notice was issued, but remained unpaid.

Furey was not present and was not represented by a solicitor.

In his absence, Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said she found the facts proven and Furey, who has no previous convictions, was fined €150 and given five months to pay.