Man held in custody for urinating on judge’s car

A man accused of urinating on a judge's car, which was parked outside a courthouse, was jailed at a District Court sitting in Co Monaghan.

John McDonagh (45) of Cairn Court, Belturbet, Co Cavan, was remanded in custody after he was arrested for allegedly urinating on the parked car of Judge Séan MacBride outside Carrickmacross District Court on Wednesday last.

The incident happened while Judge MacBride was inside the building presiding over hearings. McDonagh was charged under Section 2 of the Criminal Damage Act 1991, with indecent exposure contrary to Section 18 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935 and with being a danger to himself and others contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 1994.

He was arrested following the incident by Garda Ciaran Thornton, Carrickmacross, who said he had witnessed the action of the defendant . Garda Inspector Kevin Gavigan, Carrickmacross said the State was seeking that the defendant be remanded in custody.

He said Mr McDonagh was given bail at the court earlier this month for assault and criminal damage charges. One of the conditions was signing on at Castelbar Garda station which he had not done, the garda said.

Judge MacBride remanded McDonagh in custody at Cloverhill Prison for a further District Court appearance . “I take grave exception to this man’s conduct, his actions are tantamount to an attack on me, as a member of the Irish judiciary,” he said.