Case struck out following positive probation report
By Brendan Grehan
A MOTHER (32) who was found drunk in charge of her three-year-old autistic child by gardai in Clondalkin village had her case struck out in Blanchardstown District Court.
The court heard that the woman was so drunk that she was “finding it difficult to maintain a coherent conversation” with the gardai.
The woman, with an address in Clondalkin and who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a child under the age of seven at Main Street, Clondalkin, on September 15, 2018 contrary to Section 9 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Act 1908.
She was before Judge Bernadette Owens for sentencing and for a probation report.
The woman’s solicitor, Kelly Breen, said her client had previously pleaded guilty and was anxious to deal with the case.
Sergeant Geraldine McManigan told Judge Owens that at 9.45pm on September 15, 2018, the CCTV cameras in Clondalkin village had observed a woman who was heavily intoxicated and who was pushing a baby in a push chair. Sgt McManigan told Judge Owens that the gardai were called to the scene where they met the woman.
The woman’s three-year-old son was sitting in the push chair.
Sgt McManigan said gardai found the woman to be very drunk and added they observed that the woman was “finding it difficult to maintain a coherent conversation.”
Sgt McManigan said the child was brought to the child’s father to be cared for.
She said the woman had two previous convictions, at Tallaght Court in 2013 for theft and a €400 fine for simple possession of drugs from 2009.
Ms Breen said her client was the mother of a three-year-old autistic child. She said the woman was embarrassed to be in court and added that her client was in a long-term relationship with the child’s father.
The court had heard that TUSLA had investigated the case and deemed that no further action was necessary.
The woman had been at a christening in the city centre and had been drinking.
Ms Breen said her client “was taking the matter extremely seriously”.
She added: “She is very distressed about what happened. She has been under a lot of stress. Her long-term goal is to work in that area and a conviction could affect that.”
Judge Owens spent a few minutes reading the Probation Report.
She said the report was very positive and noted that the woman had two previous convictions for theft and for possession of drugs.
Judge Owens struck the case out.
