drunk & disorderly

Does anyone know anything about what is covered by this offence? A friend of mine was in his house and a party was going on. Gards came to the apartments presumably to tell them to turn down the music, my friend saw them from the window and they called him downstairs. When he went outside they handcuffed him and arrested him for drunk and disorderly, being a danger to himself and others. I witnesses this and my friend did no more than go outside to the Gards. He did have drink taken but was certainly not a danger to anyone, he did not threaten and merely went outside to see what they wanted, as they had asked him to do.
Before he knew it he was handcuffed and brought to the station.
He was also manhandled and I saw the bruises on the back of his legs where he said they hit him with a batton.
Apparently there were more than 6 Gards laughing and making fun of him when he was in the cell.
He has explained this to the solicitor, but this sort of offence is treated in a very run-of-the mill way, where a defendant pleads guilty and says sorry and tries to prove his good character and hopefully gets off with a warning. But really, I don't see that he is guilty of anything. I obviously would give testimony to this effect, as a witness, but I feel it is not being taken at all seriously.
Does anyone know what is covered by the offence of drunk and disorderly and a danger to himself and others?

LB25 said:

Does anyone know what is covered by the offence of drunk and disorderly and a danger to himself and others?

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I'm no expert but I would imagine that it can be whatever the garda wants it to be on the night. Like in cases of resisting arrest.

A garda could just say that he appeared to be acting in a threatening manner/ etc etc.

Didn't think the offence was actually called drunk & disorderly any more as it happens.

If you are able to stand by your account of the happenings you witnessed, go down to the friend's solicitor and make a formal statement. Your friend should go to the Garda Ombudsman and lodge an official complaint.

Did you hear what passed between the gardai and your friend?

As far as I'm aware, the Guards will only call to a house regarding a loud party if the action has spilled out into the garden or street, so maybe you haven't heard the full story?

If he has bruises I would assume that he was abusive to the guards - with all the focus on guards these days I find it hard to believe that a group of guards will "cover" for each other - it's just not worth their jobs!

There is no smoke without fire.