Judge: 'Daft' that gardaí spent €280 to mop up prisoner's urine

A judge has described as "daft" gardaí paying specialist cleaners €280 to clean up a mess caused by a man in custody when he urinated on a cell door and floor at Ennis Garda Station.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan said that “a mop and bucket” would have done the job of cleaning up the mess caused by Patrick Maughan (aged 37) of Westbrook House, Gort Rd, Ennis on September 19 last

Sgt Aiden Lonergan told Judge Durcan that it cost gardaí €280 to get in specialist cleaners to clean up the urine mess made by Mr Maughan.

Judge Durcan said: “I think it was an unnecessary spend. A person with a mop could have cleaned that up. We have all have to deal with what cats do, what dogs do."

I hear the head of the Gardai is involved in all sorts of cutbacks and I would simply say to the Commissioner to start at the bottom of the ladder.

In response, Sgt Lonergan said: “There is a balance to be struck. It is urine and it is a matter that has to be dealt with in a certain way.

“I would have to say judge that gardaí would be better employed keeping the streets of Ennis safe and the roads safe rather than cleaning up Mr Maughan’s urine.”

In reply, Judge Durcan said: “It is not a job for a Garda. Of course not.”

Mr Maughan pleaded guilty to a criminal damage offence at Ennis Garda Station on September 19.

Sgt Lonergan said that the criminal damage offence arose from Mr Maughan urinating on the floor and door of his cell and the urine flowing across a hallway at Ennis Garda Station.

Judge Durcan adjourned the case for Mr Maughan to pay €100 compensation.

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Judge Durcan told Mr Maughan’s solicitor, Tara Godfrey that the compensation can be worked out with the cost of a plastic mop “and the cost of a plastic bucket you would buy from Mrs Heffernan at Dunnes Stores”.