Cork TD who told gardaí to ‘f**k off’ avoids conviction

A Sinn Féin TD has avoided a conviction for public order offences over an incident where he was drunk and abusive to gardaí who came to his home after receiving a noise complaint.

A judge at Midleton District Court gave Cork East deputy Pat Buckley the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act over the incident on August 18th, 2017.

He pleaded guilty last May to two public order offences including being drunk in a public place and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour.

Insp Tony O’Sullivan told the court that when gardaí called to Mr Buckley’s home after receiving a noise compliant, the family was holding a graduation party for one of his children and the TD told them “f**k off”.

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Mr Buckley was not in court but his solicitor, Henry McCourt, said Judge Sheridan had indicated in May that he would be willing to apply the Probation Act if he did not come to the attention of the gardaí again.

Insp Sullivan said there had been no further incidents involving Mr Buckley so Judge Sheridan agreed there would be no conviction.

Following the May court appearance, Mr Buckley, who was elected to the Dáil in 2016 for the first time, issued an apology for his behaviour on the night.

“This was a family event, a celebratory affair involving a few drinks in my own home. Unfortunately, with alcohol on board, my attitude towards the gardaí when they arrived at my home was not what it should have been,” he said.