Businessman fined for racially abusing Donegal hotel manager

A company director who racially abused a hotel manager because he would not allow him to take a woman back to his room has been ordered to pay €1,000 to charity.

Alan Heagan, from Lurgy Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal after a night out celebrating with his brother, another company director in their woodchip boiler firm.

The accused (27), and his brother George, aged 26, returned to Dillon’s Hotel where Alan Heagan tried to bring a woman whom he had met up to his room.

However, he was stopped by management and told he could not bring her into the hotel.

Garda Inspector Goretti Sheridan told the court Heagan then became agitated and began to verbally abuse the member of staff.

The garda revealed how Heagan, who was charged with using threatening and abusive language and being intoxicated, told the man he was a Muslim and also called him a “black bastard”.

He told staff: “What the f***? I have paid for the room . I’m going up to that room and thats what’s happening.”

He also told the hotel worker that he did not have to listen to a “black refugee” and that he was a white Irishman.

He was then arrested by gardaí who had been called to the hotel.

Solicitor for the accused, Frank Dorrian, said his client was ashamed of what he had done and had since contacted the hotel to apologise for his actions.

The court heard George Heagan was also involved in the incident but did not racially abuse hotel staff. He was charged with obstructing a garda and being intoxicated.

Neither men had any previous convictions.

Judge Paul Kelly said Alan Heagan's behaviour was outrageous and unacceptable. He ordered him to donate €1,000 to the Little Angels Special School in Letterkenny and also ordered his brother George to pay a further €500 to the same school.