Man took off shirt and insisted that a garda punch him in the ribs, Dundalk court heard

A man took his shirt off and insisted that a garda punch him in the ribs, and later declined the guard's offer of a lift to his mother's - saying he'd a reputation to think about, Dundalk district court heard last week.

John Joyce (33) of Oldbridge Toberona was before the court charged with being intoxicated in a public place and using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at Bellewsbridge Road, Dundalk on March 30th last.

The garda told how the defendant had left a residential address in Oldbridge following an earlier incident.

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He was heard shouting from outside and was then seen three or four doors down from the property shouting at some of his neighbours.

Mr. Joyce complied with a direction to leave the area and as the Garda was driving back towards the town centre, he saw the defendant standing on the Bellewsbridge Road where he began shouting.

He was visibly intoxicated and took his shirt off and “insisted that I punch him in the ribs.”

The Garda said he offered Mr. Joyce a lift to his mother's address but he refused and “stated he had his reputation to think about.”

The court heard the defendant had 41 previous convictions.

The Defence solicitor said his client had recently been placed under the care of the Probation Service by the court and had received an order the week before to perform 30 hours community service.

After the Probation officer suggested increasing the order, Judge Conor Fottrell said he was considering a similar amount of hours

The judge put back the case for a week saying he had marked the facts proven in the case.