Saturday 31 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. 19193Public order offence; criminal damage · Co. Laois · 25 Feb 2022

Roscrea man sentenced over threats to gardaí and cell damage

PJ Delaney, a 32-year-old man from Roscrea, was arrested after gardaí said he was highly intoxicated and banging on the door of Abbeyleix Garda Station at about 10.30pm on 25 February 2022. Gardaí said he became abusive, threatened to shoot them in the head and bomb their houses, and later urinated in a cell at Portlaoise Garda Station, which cost €200 to clean. He admitted being intoxicated and abusive and admitted criminal damage, and at Portlaoise District Court, reported on 10 November 2023, Judge Andrew Cody fined him €200 for being abusive and imposed a one-month sentence suspended for two years for the cell damage, taking the intoxication charge into consideration. The sentencing is the latest development reported.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced10 Nov
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • PJ Delaney admitted being intoxicated and abusive at Abbeyleix Garda Station and criminal damage at Portlaoise Garda Station.
  • Gardaí said he became abusive to them after being arrested and said he would shoot them in the head and bomb their houses.
  • Gardaí said he urinated in a cell at Portlaoise Garda Station, and cleaning the cell cost €200.
Where
He began banging on the door of Abbeyleix Garda Station before being arrested and taken to Portlaoise Garda Station.
When
The offences took place on 25 February 2022, when he began banging on the station door at 10.30pm.
Cause
Gardaí said he was highly intoxicated when he began banging on the station door.
Investigation
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby gave evidence for gardaí at Portlaoise District Court, including the threats and the intoxication.
Other details
  • Gardaí said he had 42 previous convictions.
  • His solicitor said he was knocking on the station door because he had been threatened by other persons and that he is no longer drinking.
  • His solicitor said he had brought €100 to court for the damage to the cell.
Charges
He was charged with a public order offence for being intoxicated and abusive at Abbeyleix Garda Station and with criminal damage at Portlaoise Garda Station, and admitted both.
In court
The case was heard at Portlaoise District Court and reported on 10 November 2023.
Sentence
  • Judge Andrew Cody fined him €200 for being abusive.
  • Judge Andrew Cody imposed a one-month sentence for the criminal damage to the cell, suspended for two years, and took the intoxication charge into consideration.
28 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDelaney was sentenced after admitting threatening gardaí and damaging a cell. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatHe became abusive to gardaí after being arrested. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatHe urinated in a police cell, and the cell had to be cleaned at a cost of €200. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe accused admitted being intoxicated and abusive at Abbeyleix Garda Station. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • whereHe admitted being intoxicated and abusive at Abbeyleix Garda Station. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereThe man was at Abbeyleix Garda Station when he began banging on the door at 10.30pm. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • whenThe offences took place on 25 February 2022. (leinsterexpress.ie, tipperarylive.ie)
  • causeGardaí said he was highly intoxicated when he began banging on the station door at 10.30pm. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe accused admitted criminal damage at Portlaoise Garda Station. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • courtHis solicitor told the court he was no longer drinking. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe solicitor told Portlaoise District Court that the man was no longer drinking. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Andrew Cody fined him €200 for being abusive. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceHe received a one-month sentence for the cell damage, suspended for two years. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe intoxication charge was taken into consideration. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Andrew Cody fined the man €200 for being abusive. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Andrew Cody imposed a one-month sentence suspended for two years for the criminal damage of the cell. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge took the intoxication charge into consideration. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherGardaí said he threatened to shoot gardaí in the head and bomb their houses. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherGardaí said he had 42 previous convictions. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherHis solicitor said he had brought €100 to court for the cell damage. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherGarda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant was highly intoxicated. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherThe man was arrested and became abusive to gardaí. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherThe man said he would shoot gardaí in the head and bomb their houses. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherThe man urinated in a cell at Portlaoise Garda Station. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherCleaning the cell cost €200. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherThe man had 42 previous convictions. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherThe solicitor said the man was knocking on the station door because he had been threatened by other persons. (tipperarylive.ie)
  • otherThe solicitor said the accused had brought €100 to court for the damage to the cell. (tipperarylive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 13 Nov2023
    Sentencedtipperarylive.ie, first report
    Tipperary man threatened to bomb and shoot gardaí

    Reports the Portlaoise District Court sentencing of PJ Delaney, including the alleged threats to gardaí, the cell damage cost, the solicitor's mitigation and the sentence imposed.

    convicted, PJ Delaney, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)PJ Delaney
  2. 10 Nov2023
    Sentencedleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    Threatened to bomb and shoot gardai in Laois

    Court report of the sentencing at Portlaoise District Court: €200 fine for abuse and a one-month sentence suspended for two years for the cell damage. Adds the garda evidence of threats to shoot and bomb gardaí, the 42 previous convictions, and the solicitor's submissions.

    convicted, PJ Delaney, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)PJ Delaney