A ‘highly intoxicated’ man who was pepper sprayed at Longtitude after aggressively calling calling a garda a c**t before going on to urinate in his cell has told a court that cannabis ‘isn’t a drug’.
Paul Davis (38), of Deanstown Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty t Tallaght District Court to criminal damage at Rathfarnham Garda Station and to threatening and abusive behaviour and intoxication in a public place at Marlay Park on 29 June 2024.
The court heard Davis was highly intoxicated at the festival when Gardaí observed him arguing with security staff around 5:55pm. He was slurring his speech and acting in an aggressive and confrontational manner.
When approached by Garda Stephen Walsh and asked to calm down, Davis called the garda a “c**t” repeatedly and continued to be aggressive. He was pepper sprayed and arrested before being brought to Rathfarnham Garda Station. While in custody, he urinated on a cell door.
The court heard that Davis has 54 previous convictions, including those for public order and criminal damage.
The court had previously heard in May that Davis had been drug-free for ten months, regularly attended AA and NA meetings, and was engaging with Cuan Mhuire services.
However, he later admitted to the Probation Service that he still smokes cannabis daily and was found unsuitable for community service.
When asked to explain this in court, Davis said: “Cannabis isn’t a drug – it’s a plant.”
Judge Patricia McNamara responded: “Oh, well then you think heroin is just a plant?”
Davis replied: “Well no, heroin is chemicalised.”
Judge McNamara said: “There are plenty of chemicals in cannabis too. There are chemicals in it you’d find under your kitchen sink – it’s not some little plant growing from your windowsill. You could be smoking rat poison.”
She added: “That kind of attitude shows a complete naivety about drugs. Those are the kinds of plants that will ruin your life.”
Davis paid €105 in court to cover the cost of cleaning the cell.
Judge McNamara convicted Davis and imposed a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, while she also fined him €200, with four months to pay.
She told him he must remain of sober habits and abstain from all illicit or non-prescribed drugs during the suspended period.