‘Drunken’ Luas passenger who resisted arrested is now cycling instead, court told

Damien Lyons (40) had to be restrained and kicked out at arresting gardaí.

​Judge Treasa Kelly fined him €300 when he admitted public order offences.

Lyons, with an address at The Crescent Building, Park West Pointe, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to public intoxication, threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour, obstruction and violent behaviour in a garda station.

Dublin District Court heard gardaí were called to James’s Luas stop at 3.20pm on April 14, 2021 and saw Lyons being restrained by security.

​He had his shirt off and was shouting abuse.

He told gardaí to “f**k off” and had to be restrained by them as he resisted arrest.

His behaviour continued at Kevin Street garda station, where he kicked out and told an officer he would “get him”.

Lyons had rightly or wrongly believed he had been assaulted by security after an incident on the Luas and was “very aggrieved about it”, his solicitor Donal Quigley said.

“When gardaí arrived he was in a drunken state of self-righteousness and failed to calm down,” he said.

“He was directing his ire at the Luas security staff.”

Lyons apologised, was not drinking anymore and was staying off the Luas and cycling instead, Mr Quigley said.