4 days Ago By [email protected] (Joe O'Shea)
Gardai in Cork responded quickly to reports of a man harassing customers - including opening the door of a car while a woman was alone in the vehicle - in one of Cork's busiest car-parks. The Q-Park facility on the Grand Parade in Cork has been targetted by aggressive beggars in recent weeks, with the partner of one woman saying she was in the car park late in the evening recently, about to drive off to go home when a man suddenly opened the door to her car and asked her for 'a couple of euros'. The woman was deeply distressed by the incident, which came as a shock in an otherwise quiet carpark at nighttime, and her partner told CorkBeo that after she told the man she had no cash, he asked her again before then walking away.
The woman drove to the exit and alerted staff. "She got a shock, she'd put some bags in the boot, got into the car and was putting on her seatbelt and this guy came out of nowhere and opened the door, she had to tell him twice that she didn't have any cash," he said. CorkBeo understands this was one of a number of similar incidents in recent weeks, with aggressive beggars going into the carpark and approaching customers either after they have parked or while they are in their cars.
Gardai have stepped up public order patrols in the area, where groups of rough drinkers have recently been congregating, on the benches around the Robo Trees and around the entrance to Cork City Library, as well as in the small park in front of the now-closed Electric bar and restaurant. Aggressive begging has also been an issue on nearby streets, including Oliver Plunkett Street and at the entrance to the English Market on Prince's Street. A Garda spokesperson told CorkBeo that a response was made to a public order incident in the Grand Parade area at around 9pm on Friday.
"A man in his 50s was arrested and conveyed to a Garda Station in Cork City. He has since been charged and is due to appear in front of the Cork District Court." That appearance is on the docket for next week.
CorkBeo asked operators Q-Park about a number of incidents which have been brought to our attention by the public (we can be contacted at [email protected]) and in particular the incident where a car door was opened suddenly on a lone woman driver. A company spokesperson told us: "We are deeply sorry to hear about this distressing incident and sincerely regret any distress caused to the customer.
Ensuring a safe and secure environment for all our customers is our top priority, and we take this matter very seriously." "We will fully cooperate with the police in their investigation and will continue to do everything possible to support their efforts. While issues related to drug use are a citywide challenge in Cork, affecting multiple public spaces and facilities, Q-Park remains committed to maintaining high security standards across all our locations in Ireland.
" The company spokesperson said they had "robust safety measures in place, including regular patrols by our Parking Hosts, secure pedestrian access to restrict entry to customers only, extensive CCTV coverage, and bright LED lighting to eliminate dark areas." "As our car parks are publicly accessible, unauthorised individuals may sometimes gain entry. When this occurs, our team works swiftly to address the situation — either by escorting individuals out or, if necessary, involving the police.
Our operational teams are continuously working to enhance security, and customers can be assured that we are making every effort to provide a safe parking experience." Business owners in the Grand Parade area have told CorkBeo that they are very concerned about the number of street drinkers and drug users congregating for hours around the City Library. One hospitality business owner said the Gardai do respond when called 'but all they can do is just move them on, they're back within the hour, they've fixed on the robo trees as a drinking spot and it's not a great sight for people in the area.
" "What we need is a no-alcohol zone on the Grand Parade - that anybody seen with a bottle of vodka or a bag of cans, just sitting there drinking away, will have that drink taken off them. That's all that is going to stop it," the business owner added..
