Judge's ‘special offer' for man who claimed his drink was spiked

A DUNMANWAY man who claimed his drink must have been spiked was convicted and fined €100 after he was seen banging his head on the ground. 

Daniel Applegate, 55 Ros Geal, Prospect Lawn, Dunmanway pleaded guilty to being drunk in a public place at a recent sitting of Clonakilty District Court.

Supt Ger O’Mahony told the court that in the early hours of September 10th 2016, gardaí in Clonakilty received a call about a man seen drunk in Templebrien South in the town.

‘The defendant was seen lying on the ground and banging his head off it,’ he said. 

‘He was highly drunk, incoherent and aggressive and he was arrested and taken to Clonakilty Garda Station,’ said Supt O’Mahony.

‘The gardaí then called an ambulance and escorted the defendant to CUH as he was certainly under some intoxicant.’

The defendant told the court that he was having drinks on the night in question and has no memory of what happened and that the next thing he knew he woke up in CUH.

‘I reckon my drink was spiked on the night,’ said Mr Applegate.

Judge James McNulty said it sounded like the gardaí did the right thing by taking the defendant to the hospital for his own good. He convicted and fined him €100, provided that he paid it on the day, in what Judge McNulty called ‘a special offer.’