A WELL-KNOWN Limerick criminal has been jailed for his part in a fight at one the country’s busiest accident and emergency departments.
Ger Dundon (21), who has 82 previous convictions, was arrested by gardaí in the early hours of September 8th last year following an incident at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
Dundon, Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, pleaded guilty at Limerick District Court yesterday to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at the hospital contrary to section 6 of the Public Order Act.
The court heard that gardaí were called to the hospital to deal with a fight that had broken out between a group of men in the A&E area of the hospital.
When they arrived, they found Dundon standing over a man who was lying on the floor with a cut to his eye.
Insp Séamus Gallagher said the Dundon was not wearing a shirt and was being restrained by another man, when gardaí arrived at the hospital at 12.30am.
According to Garda evidence, Dundon tried to gain access to the triage area of the AE after the injured man was admitted.
Insp Gallagher said Dundon was very abusive to hospital staff and gardaí.
Mahon Corkery, instructed by Madden and Finucane solicitors from Belfast, represented Dundon, who had been assigned free legal aid. Mr Corkery described the offences as “silly and regrettable” and said his client, who is currently serving a nine-month sentence for a theft conviction, was very apologetic.
Judge Tom O’Donnell described Dundon’s behaviour at the hospital as “appalling”.
Imposing a two-month jail sentence, Judge O’Donnell said: “I would have thought that life at the accident and emergency department of Limerick Regional Hospital was difficult enough without Mr Dundon behaving in this appalling manner.”
The judge also imposed a two-month jail sentence on Dundon in relation to another public order offence, which happened at Hyde Road Limerick last year.
That incident, the court heard, happened on October 30th.
Insp Gallagher said Dundon was arrested by gardaí after he was found in a “highly abusive state”.
Judge O’Donnell ordered that both sentences run concurrently.