Man fined €1250 after Gardaí had to deploy pepper spray

A Letterkenny man who had to be pepper sprayed by Gardaí during the course of an arrest has been fined €1250 in court.

Gardaí were on patrol at 10.45pm on December 4, 2021 when they observed a highly-intoxicated male walking up Lower Main Street, Letterkenny.

Officers asked the man to walk on the footpath and he refused several times, the court heard.

Christopher McLoughlin (31), of Calhame, Mountain Top, Letterkenny, was before Letterkenny District Court on charges contrary to section 4 and section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

Garda John Kilrehill gave evidence to the court. McLoughlin gave Gardaí the middle finger and told officers to ‘f*** off’.

When McLoughlin, who has no previous convictions, was informed that he was being arrested, he began to act extremely aggressively, shouting and shaking his fists.

As McLoughlin attempted to grab Gardai, he was pepper sprayed and handcuffed.

For using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with the intention of causing a breach of the peace, McLoughlin was fined €750.

Judge Brendan O’Reilly fined McLoughlin €500 for being present in a public place while intoxicated.