“IT’S fair to say he used to drink morning noon and night, he was a messy drinker – a roaring alcoholic and could be found in the various parts of the city with a flagon of cider or cans of Dutch Gold”. The words of Brian McInerney, counsel for 58-year-old Noel Lysaght, as he offered the mitigating circumstances surrounding a “homeless street drinker,” in Limerick Circuit Court answering charges of threatening to kill a pharmacist in September 9, 2009.
However, Lysaght has now been heralded as one of the “very few success stories” of the Novas Initiative as he has remained sober for five months and has poured his energy into acting as a volunteer in the kitchen of Brother Russell Home on Mulgrave Street, where he is now resident.
The revelation came to light after Lysaght was charged with the offence of threatening to kill a pharmacist in Limerick city.
Garda Mark Deegan said that he arrived at LC Pharmacy on Lower Gerald Griffin Street, to find two shop assistants shocked and upset after Lysaght produced an imitation gun. He threatened to “shoot him dead”, a reference to pharmacist Mark Cahill.
Lysaght had become a nuisance to the shop and was barred in 2003 for his continued “antics”.
Garda Deegan said that in statements provided by the two female shop assistants, they said that the accused entered the shop and waved the imitation gun.
The women were “horrified” and unaware it was an imitation gun bought in a “2Euro shop”.
Judge Carroll Moran heard that the background to the incident had spanned some time and that Lysaght had been aggrieved that he was barred, and had said at various times in the three weeks prior to the September 09 incident that he “was going to fix Mark and sort him out”.
Lysaght was arrested 10 days after the incident after gardai identified him from CCTV footage.
During questioning, Lysaght made admissions to the threats and to purchasing and producing the imitation gun.
The 58-year-old grandfather had 89 previous convictions from 53 separate court appearances.
Brian McInerney, counsel, said that his client was a “roaring alcoholic that would drink from noon to night” and was from a family that had been “gripped by this deadly disease,” but that “thankfully, he was in Brother Russell house and doing very well”.
In mitigation, the court heard that Lysaght said he had a mock gun, pointed it at the fella that owns the pharmacy and told him he was going to shoot him.
In interview, Gardai said Lysaght expressed sorrow and said he “didn’t know it was going to come to this”.
Taking the stand to offer evidence of Lysaght’s life changing turnaround, Deborah Ryan, liaison officer with the Novas Initiative, told the court that the State funded body “rarely has a success story” when it comes to helping those with severe drink problems, as they more often than not, “join the viscous circle again”.
She added that each resident that enters the Brother Russell home also enters into a contract and breach of that contract will see offenders evicted.
“For 15 years, Noel has been with the group on and off, but since February 2010, he has been sober. People can’t fake sobriety like that and I can vouch for Noel. He is one of our very few success stories”.
Noting the “massive change” in the life of Noel Lysaght, Ms Ryan added that she “had seen Noel when he was drinking, and he is a messy drunk.”
His life was “chaotic” added Mr McInerney.
“But now”, added Ms Ryan, “Noel is a gentleman and volunteers his time in the kitchen of Brother Russell Home. He will work from 8am to 4pm five days a week and will often be found there at 6 and 7pm making soup and helping with the outreach programme for those homeless people on the street. He has been so helpful in all aspects”.
Ms Ryan added that they would have “no issue keeping Noel long term”.
Judge Carroll Moran noted to the court that was it not for the sobriety of Noel Lysaght over the last five months or more, he would have imposed a three year jail sentence immediately.
However, giving credit for his new attitude and clearly impressed by his efforts to date, he opted to engage the Probation Services to furnish the court with a report in connection with Noel Lysaght.
Lysaght was ordered to stay sober, continue his work and connection with the Brother Russell Home and to stay away from the LC Pharmacy on Lower Gerald Griffin Street.
The case was adjourned until January 28 , 2011.
