A Polish man who came to Ireland 22 years ago was found so drunk on a Dublin street that Gardaí arrested him for his own safety and that of others.
Marian Rockas (44), who has an address at a hostel on Ellis Quay, appeared before a sitting of Dublin District Court where he was convicted of being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
Garda James McGovern of Store Street Garda station gave evidence of how on the 22nd of July last Rockas was found lying at the fire exit of a Super Valu on James’ Street, Dublin.
When roused and instructed to move on, the accused was in such a state of intoxication that he was unable to stand, was using “slurred speech” and “fell out into the road” when he tried to move.
An empty bottle of alcohol was observed lying beside the accused, who made no reply when cautioned before he was arrested and conveyed to Store Street.
On the 19th of June 2024, at 21:20pm on Moore Lane, Dublin 1 the accused was one of two males who were observed by a Garda O’Flynn, also of Store Street, “stumbling down a laneway”.
One of the men got to his feet and ran away, before the accused was observed to have a “strong smell of alcohol” coming from him.
His eyes were read and he proceeded to shout “obscenities” at members of the public and telling Garda O’Flynn to “go away”.
Judge Michele Finan instructed O’Flynn that while in the course of a prosecution it is necessary to inform the court of the specifics of any obscene language used, “Don’t mind my blushes,” she said.
Rockas, who was not present in court as he was “afraid” to leave his new job in construction, is “a street drinker” when he’s “idle”, the court heard.
He has 27 previous convictions, 22 of which are for breaches of the Public Order Act.
He currently earns €450-500 a week, and was granted legal aid.
The court convicted the accused, fining him €100 for the totality of his offences.