Friday 30 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 17354Public order incident · Co. Offaly · 7 Apr 2024

Man pepper sprayed by gardaí at Birr filling station

On Sunday 7 April 2024, gardaí on patrol came across two men in an aggressive altercation in the forecourt of a filling station on Roscrea Road, Birr, Co Offaly. One man left when asked, but gardaí say the other man refused to leave, was intoxicated and intimidating, and was pepper sprayed. That man was given a Fixed Charge Notice, and the incident was reported in the press on 4 May 2024. No name, age or nationality is given, and no court proceedings are reported.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A man was pepper sprayed by gardaí during a public order incident in Birr.
  • Two gardaí on patrol came across two men in an aggressive altercation with each other.
Where
The altercation took place in the forecourt of a filling station on Roscrea Road, Birr, Co Offaly.
When
The incident happened on Sunday 7 April 2024.
Cause
Gardaí say the man was intoxicated and intimidating.
Other details
  • One of the men left when gardaí asked him to, but gardaí say the other man refused to leave.
  • The incident was reported by offalyexpress.ie on 4 May 2024.
  • The sources do not give the man's name, age or nationality.
Weapon
Gardaí pepper sprayed the man and said they had no option but to do so.
Charges
The man was given a Fixed Charge Notice.
In court
The sources report no court proceedings.
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man was pepper sprayed by gardaí during a public order incident in Birr. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatTwo gardaí on patrol came across two males in an aggressive altercation with one another. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe altercation took place in the forecourt of a filling station on Roscrea Road. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened on Sunday, April 7. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe man was given a Fixed Charge Notice. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherOne of the men left the scene when gardaí asked him to. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGardaí say the man was intoxicated and intimidating. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGardaí said they had no option but to pepper spray the man. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 3 May2024
    Otheroffalyexpress.ie, first report
    'Aggressive male' peppered sprayed by gardai at service station in Offaly

    Reports the pepper spray incident, the location, gardaí's account of the man's intoxication, and that he was given a Fixed Charge Notice.

    suspect, male