'He was just cross was he?' asks judge as he sentences man for row on Cork to Dublin train
Mr Buckley said that he had been running late for the train and jumped into the first-class section in his hurry. File picture: Dan Linehan
A man who had to be removed from a Cork to Dublin train by gardaí following a dispute with Iarnród Éireann staff was handed a suspended prison sentence in the district court on Wednesday.
Ross Buckley, aged 26, of Ballynacarrig, Kilcormac, Co. Offaly, appeared at Mallow District Court where he was charged with threatening and abusive behaviour and failing to comply with garda directions.
Court presenter Sgt Majella O’Sullivan said that on October 9, 2023, gardaí were called to attend an incident on a train at Mallow Railway Station.
The accused, Ross Buckley, was behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards staff on the train and when gardaí arrived “the situation escalated” and Mr Buckley had to be restrained by force and removed from the train.
Mr Buckley said that he had been running late for the train and jumped into the first-class section in his hurry. He said that he had a ticket for his journey and was not under the influence of alcohol at the time. He told the court that he was on his way to visit his child.
Mr Buckley said that a staff member asked him to go to the correct section of the train but because the snack trolley was blocking the way he sat down and said he would move when the trolley was gone. An argument developed and according to Mr Buckley “it escalated”.
Defence solicitor, Cathal Lombard, said that his client apologised for his behaviour and told the court that Mr Buckley was going through a bad period at the time adding: “His behaviour was not acceptable and he apologises.”
The court heard that Mr Buckley had six previous convictions including public order offences all of which had been dealt with by way of fines. Judge Colm Roberts said that he had concerns about Mr Buckley’s lack of self-regulation.
“He had no drink taken, so he was just cross was he? He was insulting to staff who do a difficult job, and he says he’s sorry but offers no explanation. He has previous convictions and he doesn’t seem to have learned his lesson.
"We all face stress in life but that doesn’t give us the right to take it out on anyone else.”
On the Section 6 charge of threatening behaviour he was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for two years and on the section 8 charge of failing to comply with garda directions he was sentenced to a further six weeks in prison suspended for two years.
The sentences are to run consecutively. The judge also ordered that he be supervised by the probation service for one year.
