Football fan gives lit flare to child and is fined €450
A SOCCER fan who gave lit flares to a child during an away game for Cork City v Shamrock Rovers was fined €450 by Tallaght Court.
Gary O’Reilly, aged 37, with an address at Kilbarry Place, Farranree, Cork, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour and giving a false name and address to a garda at Tallaght Stadium, Whitestown Way, Tallaght, on August 7, 2017.
Sergeant Eithne Madden told Judge Patricia McNamara that on August 7 last, Garda Gerald Kildea was on duty at a Shamrock Rovers game in Tallaght stadium.
She said Garda Kildea observed O’Reilly handing two lighted flares to a child. The child dropped the flares and O’Reilly picked them up and handed them again to the child.
Sgt Madden said Garda Kildea went up to speak to O’Reilly and asked him for his name and address. She said O’Reilly gave a false name and address and became abusive.
She said O’Reilly had four previous convictions, including a €300 fine for breaching the peace.
O’Reilly’s counsel said his client had been out of sorts at the time of the incident.
Convicting, Judge McNamara fined O’Reilly €250 for giving a false name and address and €200 for breaching the peace.
