Garda stamped on and spat at on Kilkenny City street

Spitting and stamping on a garda resulted in an assault conviction for one man when he appeared before Kilkenny District Court.

Darren Crosby, no fixed abode, Kilkenny, was also charged with committing public order offences, on the same occasion.
On December 5, 2025, gardaí received a report that a man was intoxicated and causing a disturbance at High Street.

On arrival, the gardaí met Mr Crosby who was shouting, swearing and blocking the footpath in the presence of members of the public, including children.

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Gardaí asked Mr Crosby to calm down but he became verbally aggressive. He was arrested and taken to Kilkenny Garda Station. On the way there Mr Crosby stamped on a garda’s foot and spat on his trousers.

Solicitor Chris Hogan said his client had asked him to apologise on his behalf in court. He accepted he shouldn’t have acted the way he did.

His client had a significant problem with alcohol, the solicitor said, asking the court to give credit for the early guilty plea.
sentence

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted Mr Crosby on the assault charge and imposed a four month prison sentence.
The public order charges, for being drunk in public and using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour, were taken into consideration.