Homeless man exposed himself in bid to get bed

Homeless man exposed himself in bid to get bed

Paul Michael Gardner (52), who has a long record of disorder and drunkenness, committed the offence just after midnight on
Saturday 9 June and first appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on Monday 11 June.

He was released from custody on the Monday afternoon but was arrested again that same night for being drunk and incapable and appeared before the court for the second time in 24 hours.

He was first arrested on Saturday 9 June about 12.15 am when police were called to the Accident and Emergency department. Centenier Danny Scaife said that Gardner wanted a bed for the night but medical staff decided that he was fit to be discharged.

Gardner was not happy about the decision and said he would have to commit an offence to get a bed, the court heard. Outside the hospital he dropped his grey tracksuit bottoms and removed his underwear. Centenier Scaife said that there were members of the public in the vicinity at the time.

Gardner said that it was not a sexual act but a cry for help. Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris said that it was accepted there was no sexual motive, but added that his actions were upsetting to members of the public. Advocate Niall McDonald, defending, said his client was frustrated because he did not have accommodation.

The second arrest came at about 10.50 pm on Monday 11 June after police found Gardner on the ground in Gloucester Street. The court heard that people were looking on and expressing concern about the state of the defendant.

The Centenier said that the officers decided it was not safe to leave him, but due to his level of intoxication he was not allowed into the Shelter. He was subsequently arrested for being drunk and incapable.

Mr Harris said that the previous day a meeting had been arranged by a number of professionals for 2 pm to try to get Gardner help with accommodation and income support.

‘You were sober when you left here at 1.25 pm and you were told to go to the meeting at Probation 35 minutes later, but you did not attend. Instead you went out and got drunk,’ he said to Gardner.

Mr Harris said that this was Gardner’s fourth offence of indecent exposure and he had already committed two offences of being drunk and disorderly and two of drunk and incapable this year.

In handing down the court’s sentence, six weeks in prison, Mr Harris said: ‘You have also breached binding-over orders and have not been paying fines.’

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