Drunk man who punched random woman on Dublin city centre street jailed for three months

Richard Parker (42) had come to the city to buy drugs but was so nervous trying to find a dealer that he “had a few drinks to even it out,” a court heard.

An alcoholic who had fallen “off the wagon”, he admitted his behaviour was “awful.”

Parker, of Church View, Rathnew, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman on November 24, 2021.

He also admitted unlawful possession of alprazolam tablets, public intoxication and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour. Garda Sergeant Maire McDevitt told Dublin District Court a 50-year-old lady was walking on O’Connell Street at 4.30pm when Parker, who was unknown to her, came up behind her and punched her on the shoulder.

She sustained no injuries but reported it to the gardai and gave a description.

Half an hour later, gardaí found Parker heavily intoxicated and slumped on a footpath on Eden Quay, where he had attempted to start a fight with members of the public.

He was unable to stand properly, was incoherent and began shouting abuse at the gardaí. They found 60 tablets concealed in his sock. Parker was a chronic alcoholic who had been clean for years but suffered relapse periods, his solicitor Kate McGhee said.

At the time he was sober nine months, came to Dublin to buy drugs and was so nervous trying to find a dealer he had “a few drinks to even it out.”

“It was a terrible event, a terrible night, he’s really, really sorry and he’s done his best to try to mitigate his behaviour,” Ms McGhee said.

The accused had previous convictions and was under a suspended sentence at the time.

“It’s not much consolation to the injured party who didn’t even know him,” the judge said.