A man who was described as a blackguard and a pest was handed a six months suspended sentence at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court last Friday.

Joe Linnane, Enagh, Croghan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon appeared in court on charges of assaulting Garda Clement McCormack, engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, and being intoxicated in public at Bridge Street, Carrick-on-Shannon on December 24, 2016.

The court heard Mr Linnane has 60 previous convictions dating back to 1983.

He was most recently convicted at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court in April 2017 where he was sentenced to two months in prison for criminal damage, assault, theft and possession of a knife.

Judge Kevin Kilrane said Mr Linnane has been causing quite a lot of trouble for a long time and described him as “a pest around Carrick-on-Shannon.”

He said that in the past Mr Linnane stole a bicycle and painted it crazy colours to try and disguise it, he was found with a nail bar concealed on his person, and he has threatened people.

The Judge said Mr Linnane sees himself as somewhat of a character. “He's not a character in the old fashioned way, he's a blackguard and has no respect for law and order and wanders into court late,” said Judge Kilrane.

On the assault charge, he convicted and sentenced Mr Linnane to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was convicted and fined €200 for the public order offence and he was also convicted of being intoxicated in public which was taken into consideration.

Judge Kilrane said he was suspending the sentence for two years on the condition the defendant will not be found guilty of any offence whatever other than Section 4 of the Public Order Act.

He told Inspector Denis Harrington he was anxious that the case would be re-entered if he is found to be in breach of that condition.

Recognisance of €500 cash was set in the event of an appeal. Peter Collins, solicitor, appear.