Man jailed for three months after rubbing excrement around cell

A homeless man has been jailed for three months for rubbing his excrement around a cell at Rathmines Garda station last year.

Gardaí had arrested Thomas Coleman (62) on another matter when he became agitated and removed his clothes.

Sergeant Brendan Maher said Coleman then “put excrement on himself and the entire cell”.

The sergeant told the court that the smell was “quite bad” throughout the station and the cell couldn’t be used till the next day, after it was professionally cleaned for €50.

Coleman, who has been homeless for 20 years, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage of a cell door and bed at Rathmines Garda station on July 29th, 2014.

He has 67 previous convictions for minor offences dating back to the 1960s.

Sgt Maher told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Coleman did apologise for his behaviour a short time later and calmed down when his solicitor arrived.

Judge Martin Nolan commented that Coleman's actions were "pretty revolting and he made life miserable for the gardaí in question".

He noted that Coleman from his previous convictions seemed to have a problem with authority.

The judge acknowledged that Coleman has had a tough life and that “as offences go, this is on the minor end”.