A judge has warned that if a defendant does not turn up for court in a fit state, they could face prison as a consequence. Judge Gerard Haughton’s comments came as he proceeded over the sitting at Limerick District Court last Thursday, when he was interrupted by a mobile phone belting out a ringtone of Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock. The 27-year-old defendant was sitting in the court awaiting to answer charges relating to an alleged breach of the Public Order Act when his phone began to ring.
The court proceedings ground to a halt as the ringtone increased in volume after the man made several failed attempts to turn it off.
The 27-year-old was removed by Gardai after he was ordered to leave and turn off the phone.
However, an hour later, as the man returned to court to answer his original pubic intoxication charges, Ted McCarthy, solicitor, sought a week adjournment as he told the court that due to the “state” of his client, he was unable to take instruction.
It was at this point that Judge Gerard Haughton issued the warning that “anyone who does not turn up to court in a fit state will face jail, at least that way the next day that they are brought to court, I will be confident that they are in a fit state to give instruction and deal with matters”.
The judge added that if he had known as to the state and condition of the defendant, he would have remanded him in custody earlier.
