Stag party-goer caught with cocaine after resisting arrest and shouting abuse at gardaí

Alistair Wright (37), a self-employed joiner from Crieff in Scotland, appeared before Judge Anne Watkin at Dún Laoghaire District Court, where she said she had “no tolerance” for people bringing cocaine into public places and then "taking on" the guards.

The court heard that Wright had been in Dublin for a friend’s stag and had been drinking all day with a group who had booked rooms at the Clayton Hotel in Donnybrook. By 8.30pm, tensions among the group escalated and staff were forced to call gardaí due to the group’s behaviour.

“It must have been bad,” Judge Watkin remarked. “It takes a lot for a hotel to ask a group of people to leave at half eight in the evening - that says it all.”

When gardaí arrived, Wright became aggressive and abusive. He was asked to leave but told staff and gardaí to “f**k off,” Sergeant Caoimmhe Conway told the court.

The court heard that Wright refused to comply with directions, resisted arrest and was ultimately found to have one gram of cocaine in his possession. While he did not strike the gardaí, the court heard he resisted putting his hands behind his back and had to be restrained.

“I’ve no patience for cocaine,” Judge Watkin said. “Unlike cannabis or ecstasy, it’s one drug that makes people aggressive - and he’s lucky things didn’t end even worse.”

“He refused to cooperate. This is how gardaí get injured,” she added.

“Most people sober up when a guard appears,” Judge Watkin said. “They don’t take them on. But he refused to cooperate. This could have resulted in someone getting injured.”

The court heard that Wright made no reply when charged and has no previous convictions. He pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and to multiple public order offences, including engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour, failing to comply with garda directions and resisting a peace officer.

His defence counsel, Sylvia Maria Crowley BL, said Wright was deeply embarrassed by the incident. She said he is a father of two and had “never taken cocaine before - it was a one-off, completely out of character.”

Ms Crowley asked if her client could be spared a conviction, but Judge Watkin said the matter was too serious - and that a Section 19 public order offence could warrant a jail sentence.

“He knew he had cocaine on him. If he had any cop-on at all, he wouldn’t have gotten himself arrested while carrying it. You don’t get to be that out of control in a public place and expect no consequences,” she said.

The judge ordered a probation report and urine analysis, noting she was open to considering a community service order, but emphasised that Wright would not simply be allowed to walk away.

Ms Crowley said engaging with probation services might be difficult as Wright lives and works in Scotland, but Judge Watkin made clear that custody remained on the table.

“Just because he’s not living here doesn’t mean he gets to skip off home to Scotland,” she said.

She adjourned the matter to 10 November next for finalisation.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme

Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 16th