Bridegroom in court after pre-wedding fracas said nuptials were in 10 minutes

A BRIDEGROOM appeared in court shortly before his wedding was due to take place.

Thomas McCarthy (23), with an unknown address in the UK, appeared before Blanchardstown District Court, charged with public order offences arising from pre-wedding celebrations at a hotel.

The court heard that gardai were called to a disturbance at the Clayton Hotel in Lucan, after midnight on October 21.

Mr McCarthy was highly intoxicated and was arrested and brought to Lucan Garda Station.

He refused to give gardai an address and uttered numerous slurs at gardai including “penis face” , calling Garda Heffernan a “scumbag” and Garda Kennedy a “dirty lesbian.”

Asked by Judge John Brennan when his wedding was due to take place, McCarthy said “in ten minutes.”

Defence counsel Kelly Breen understood from her client that the priest was being updated as the proceedings took place to delay and push back the ceremony, which was to take place in Clondalkin.

The court heard the defendant is Irish, is marrying an Irish bride and lives in the UK, is not working at the moment but had “far too much alcohol” on the night in question.

“He is the groom. I understand other family relatives are here. There was far too much alcohol involved,” said Ms Breen.

Judge Brennan considered the case for a victim-impact statement from the hotel due to the “huge aggression” that Mr McCarthy engaged in on the night with staff, with gardai and the “worst kind of language.”

“Extraordinary that on the eve of your wedding, you think you would have some level of self-control,” said the Judge.

However, to deny him the opportunity to go to his wedding would be “unduly harsh.”

Mr McCarthy was remanded on bail to Blanchardstown and directed to have a sum of €500 on the day for a charitable donation to the Merchants Quay Project.

Funded by the Local Courts Reporting Scheme