By Liam Heylin

A Christmas reindeer had its lights knocked out by a drunken man who rugby-tackled it to the ground and yesterday the culprit was jailed for three months.

The incident happened outside Cork’s General Post Office in the early hours of January 10, 2017.

Michael Cronin, of 5 Vicars Rd, Togher, Cork, testified at Cork District Court yesterday: “I didn’t rugby-tackle any reindeer.”

In fact, he said he did not even see a reindeer among the larger-than-life-sized decorations outside the GPO that night.

Cronin, aged 29, said: “I wasn’t falling around the place drunk but I do know I fell or tripped onto what I thought was a big blow-up Santa kind of thing. I didn’t think I did any damage.

“Next thing I was pinned to the ground by three bouncers. A kind of scuffle broke out. I got out. Things kind of escalated.

“I went to Speedo’s takeaway on Tuckey St. [When gardaí came] I put up no force, no resistance,” he said.

The evidence of the bar manager from the Old Oak contrasted with this account.

Alan Cremin was with his colleague, Gerard Kiely, when they went out on to Oliver Plunkett St at about 3am and saw Cronin.

“I saw him kicking a reindeer outside the GPO. He rugby-tackled it to the ground. He went kicking and punching the reindeer,” said Mr Cremin.

He and Mr Kiely tried to stop Cronin but friends of the accused prevented them from doing so.

They followed him from the scene and phoned gardaí. They told Garda Martin Harrington that he was in Speedo’s.

Mr Kiely was one of the traders who purchased the large lit-up reindeer and had it imported from France at a total cost of €2,500.

Garda Harrington said: “I observed a large reindeer thrown against the wall of the GPO. It had been taken from its mountings and electrical wires were exposed.”

Judge Con O’Leary convicted Cronin of causing criminal damage despite his plea of not guilty.

He imposed a three-month jail term and a concurrent three months for damage to the window of the Bagel Bar nearby, which Cronin admitted causing.

Cronin was late for his case but explained he was in another court. Judge O’Leary asked: “What judge was there?”

Cronin said he did not know his name. Judge O’Leary asked what the other judge looked like.

Cronin replied: “He kind of looks like you — he has a ’tache.”

The charge stated that, “on January 10, 2017, at Oliver Plunkett St, [Cronin] did without lawful excuse, damage property, to wit, a reindeer Christmas decoration”.