W2C-015 Kilkenny People-2.txt
"Stay away from airports!" says Judge

A YOUTH climbed into an ambulance outside St. Luke's Hospital late at night and started blowing the horn, Kilkenny Court was told.

His defending solicitor said that Patrick Houlihan, 11 Ossory Park, Kilkenny, had always wanted to see the inside of an ambulance.

"For God's sake tell him to stay away from airports!" declared Judge William Harnett.

Inspector Michael Delaney said that Gardai were called to the hospital at around 11.15 p.m. on June 24, because youths were causing trouble and interfering with ambulances.

Houlihan was sitting in the front of an ambulance and was blowing the horn. He denied the incident when he was confronted by Gardai. He was summonsed for interfering with the mechanism of an ambulance.

Defending solicitor Mrs. Mary Molloy said that the 18-year-old had been drinking with friends during a World Cup match. One of his friends dislocated his arm and they went to the casualty department in St. Luke's. Houlihan could not resist the temptation of getting into an ambulance outside the casualty section.

"He tells me that he long harboured the desire to see what the inside of an ambulance looked like," Mrs. Molloy told the court. The solicitor added that this was the first time any member of her client's family was in trouble.

Inspector Delaney confirmed that Houlihan came from good family. It was just a case of youths messing and there was no intention to remove the vehicle.

Noting that Houlihan should take his court appearance as a warning, Judge Harnett gave him the benefit of the Probation Act.
