A teenager who urinated onto a passing Garda patrol car as it passed under a footbridge has been fined €300.
Dublin Children's Court heard that the teenager (17) had been standing on the footbridge, which crosses over the N1 dual-carriageway. He urinated over the edge of the bridge onto the windscreen of the patrol car, from Swords Garda station, which had been making its way along the N1.
Prosecuting, Garda Brian Johnson told Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick that the boy ran away when he saw the patrol car turning back in his direction.
He was arrested on Chapel Lane, Swords, and when asked to explain his conduct, he replied: "I didn't know it was a Swords patrol car, I thought it was a Malahide patrol car."
The boy pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour in a public place on April 14th last.
Judge Fitzpatrick was told that the boy had been delayed on his way to work as he had been visiting a friend.
"Nature called" as he was crossing the footbridge, and he had not intended to insult the Garda, the boy's solicitor said.
The judge released the teenager after ordering him to pay a €300 fine within 28 days.