GARDAI have better things to do than to go about picking drunks up from the street, was the reaction of a Judge when a Court regular once again appeared before Galway District Court on public order charges.
Judge John King described the defendant Philip Kalwile as “paralytic” when Gardaí found him on each occasion, and added his behaviour could have serious consequences if Gardaí were needed urgently elsewhere but couldn’t go because they had to deal with his drunkenness. Ordering a Probation report he said there was a need “for global intervention” with this individual and warned him that he expected the report to note that he had remained “clean and sober.”
John Martin solr. (defending ) said his client was a chronic alcoholic but he was making efforts to turn his life around. He was keeping busy and volunteering at the Fairgreen hostel where he resides with jobs such as helping with the Christmas decorations.
The defendant faced three charges of being drunk in public and being a danger to himself and others, all occurring last month.
Judge King heard the defendant had 65 previous convictions, most for similar offences. At a Court in November Mr Martin described his client as a “nuisance but not a menace”.
He said at the time his client was 39 and originally from Malawi. He was 12 years in this country and had been granted the right to reside here. The problem, he explained, was that his client was a chronic alcoholic.
