Cork man throws the book at quick-witted judge

A judge in Cork Circuit Court yesterday dodged a 1,000-page book after a man flung it across the courtroom in anger, the Irish Examiner reports.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin was being told of a breach of an order made at Cork District Court when Michael Preator, 61, picked up a 1kg book entitled Consolidated Criminal Legislation and threw it at the judge, who ducked.

Preator had been representing himself during an appeal against a conviction for harassing a garda and was standing three metres in front of the judge.

Gardaí promptly wrestled Preator to the ground and escorted him to custody. His seven month sentence was extended to twelve months.

Judge Ó Donnabháin remarked afterwards: “That is as close as I want to come to the law today.”