Defendant calls gardaí ‘pigs’ and ‘cancer bastards’

A 22-YEAR-OLD Monaghan man, who told gardai they were “pigs” and “cancer bastards”, and who caused trouble for hospital and ambulance staff on two occasions, narrowly avoided prison when he came before Monaghan District Court recently.

Brooklyn McDonald of Mullaghmatt, Monaghan Town, was described by his solicitor as a “chronic alcoholic”.

He was left with suspended sentences amounting to seven months hanging over him for a two-year period and warned by Judge Raymond Finnegan that it is now up to himself to get the help he needs if he wants to stay out of prison.

McDonald, who was in custody from the previous evening when gardaí arrested him at his house, pleaded guilty to failing to obey a garda, to being abusive and intoxicated at Park Road, Mullaghmonaghan, Monaghan Town, on June 22 last. He also pleaded guilty to similar charges of being threatening and abusive and drunk in public while at Cavan Hospital on April 21, 2025.

Judge Finnegan was told at the outset that the defendant, who had accumulated a number of bench warrants over the years, had failed to appear at the court on July 7 and again on July 14. He was arrested at his home the previous evening after gardaí called with the warrants. His mother told them he wasn’t at the house but they entered and found him in a bedroom.

When Judge Finnegan suggested that McDonald had been “actively evading arrest”, his solicitor, Roisin Courtney argued that the majority of bench warrants referred to were taken when he was a minor living in a residential care home in Trim. It was true that he didn’t come by arrangement to this hearing, but he was “just afraid”.

‘Kicking off’ at hospital staff

Giving evidence in relation to the charges before the court, Sergeant Lisa McEntee said that shortly after 9am on April 21, 2025, gardai received a report about a male “kicking off” at staff in Cavan General Hospital, Lisdarn Cavan. It was explained at a previous sitting that McDonald was taken to the hospital in Cavan after being arrested in Monaghan following a public order incident

When gardaí arrived at the hospital, they found the defendant outside the hospital in a highly intoxicated state, and he was arrested.

The sergeant recalled that at 4:40am on June 22, 2025, gardaí received a call from ambulance personnel at Mullaghmatt. At the scene, they found McDonald refusing to engage with the paramedics and getting out of an ambulance. A short time later, at the nearby Park Road, he was observed standing in the middle of the roadway with no T-shirt on and roaring and shouting. He was directed to leave the area by Garda Claire Blake but refused to do so.

Instead, he continued shouting and calling gardai “cancers, pigs, and cancer bastards”, resulting in his arrested.

Sgt McEntee said McDonald had only a few previous convictions as an adult, and that these were of a relatively minor nature.

Judge Finnegan said he took “a certain view” of anyone interfering with frontline staff, but Ms Courtney asked him to seek a probation report on her client before passing sentence. Describing the defendant as a “chronic alcoholic” who had been drinking since he was 15, she indicated that he is anxious to go into a detox programme.

But the judge pointed out that Mr McDonald had already been referred to the Probation Service and had refused to attend his appointments. People were trying to help him but it seemed to be “a waste of time”, and prison might be the place for him.

Ms Courtney persisted that her client was in a care home from age 14 to 17 years and “never had much of a chance”. He also had mental health issues, she added.

For refusing to comply with Garda Blake at Park Road, Judge Finnegan imposed a five-month prison term, suspending it for 24 months, on the condition he does not reoffend.

For the abusive behaviour at the hospital in Cavan, a further two months in prison was handed down, consecutive to the five months, but also suspended for two years on the same €100 bond and conditions.

“That’s seven months hanging over him,” the judge said, emphasising that it was now up to McDonald to get the help he needs.