Topless Dublin man arrested over drunken row following grandmother’s funeral

Patrick O’Leary (44) hurled abuse at gardaí who found him acting in a threatening manner on the street. Judge Bryan Smyth fined him €250 when he admitted public order offences in the incident.

O’Leary, of Bellgree Drive, Tyrrelstown, west Dublin, pleaded guilty to public intoxication and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at Dorset Street Upper on December 10 last year.

Garda Christopher Galvin said he was on patrol when he saw the accused topless and acting in a threatening manner to a family member.

O’Leary was threatening to fight this person, was highly intoxicated and became abusive to gardaí and the relative.

He was slurring his words and was arrested.

O’Leary had previous convictions for public order offences.

The accused had explained there was a dispute with an in-law and he apologised, his solicitor Donal Quigley told the court.

O’Leary had been drinking at his grandmother’s funeral before the incident happened. There was no “actual fight”, Mr Quigley said.

O’Leary was on disability benefit and was due to have a heart operation later in the year and “shouldn’t be drinking”, the court heard.

He had been out of trouble and had not been drinking for a number of years “apart from this blip”, Mr Quigley said.