Drinker (51) was arrested by gardai on Paddy's Day after telling them 'arrest me then'

Dan Connors admitted being intoxicated in a public place at Clonuske Drive, Balbriggan on March 17 this year.

Balbriggan District Court heard gardaí were called to a house on St Patrick’s Day following reports of a disturbance at around 8pm.

At the scene they found a number of people in an intoxicated state in a house at Clonuske Drive.

Gardaí spoke to those involved and as Garda Robert Berg was leaving the premises Dan Connors, with an address at Mount Rochford Avenue, Bremore, Balbriggan, staggered out after him.

The defendant was very intoxicated, his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

Garda Berg instructed the accused to go back inside the house or he would be arrested to which Connors replied: “Arrest me then”.

The defendant was arrested and charged with being intoxicated in a public place.

Defence barrister Deirdre Flannery said Connors was “ashamed of his behaviour”.

The incident had happened on St Patrick’s Day and the defendant had gone to the pub and “drank far too much”.

The drinking continued at home and as a result, Connors was very intoxicated, she said.

He is not working and is in receipt of disability benefit as he has a metal plate in his leg, the barrister added.

Judge Dermot Dempsey convicted the 51-year-old and imposed a €200 fine.