Daughter (27) put her mother in fear by threatening to hit her with a walking stick
By Brendan Grehan
A DAUGHTER who breached a protection order three times by putting her mother in fear, including threatening to hit her with her mother’s walking stick, was remanded for a pre-sentence report by Tallaght District Court.
Nkemnjika Okonji, aged 27, with an address at Whitechurch Dale, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty to contravening a protection order at the above address on May 17, 2018, by threatening to hit Charlotte Okonji with her walking stick.
She also pleaded guilty to contravening a protection order on June 5, 2018, by putting her mother in fear and to contravening a protection order on July 9, 2018, by putting her mother in fear both at the above address.
Garda Paul Herbert told the court that on May 17 last, the defendant’s mother had called Rathfarnham Garda Station to say that her daughter was intoxicated and had threatened that she would take her mother’s walking stick and hit her with it.
He said a protection order was in place and Okonji was arrested.
Garda Declan Buckley told the court that on June 5 last, he attended the address at Whitechurch Dale on foot of a call.
He said Okonji had been verbally abusive to her mother and had put her in fear. He said Okonji was arrested at 12.10am.
Sergeant Michael Ahern told the court that at 3pm on July 9 last, Garda Gerard Divilly had responded to a call at Whitechurch Dale as the the defendant was intoxicated and had put her mother in fear.
Sgt Ahern said that at Court 4 on June 15, 2018, Okonji had been fined €200 for public drunkenness and €250 for breaching the peace.
He said Okonji had no previous convictions under the Domestic Violence Act.
Okonji’s counsel, George Burns Bl, said his client is 27 and was trying to deal with her problem with alcohol.
He said Okonji had not used violence towards her mother.
Judge McNamara told him: “Picking up her mother’s walking stick and threatening to hit her with it is the threat of violence.”
Judge McNamara asked the injured party if she wanted to address the court.
Charlotte Okonji said: “My daughter is a kind girl but when she starts drinking her personality changes. When she was in her previous job she was living in an apartment.
“She lost that job and she had nowhere else to go so she moved back home. She is working again and is saving up for a deposit for an apartment.
“I hope that will give her a sense of responsibility. The protection order has lapsed. I didn’t renew it.”
Judge McNamara asked Ms Okonji what effect did her daughter’s actions have on her.
Ms Okonji replied: “I find I can’t handle her when she is drunk. There is just the two of us”.
Judge McNamara told the defendant: “Your mother has been very fair to you. The demon here seems to be the drink.”
She remanded Okonji on continuing bail to a date in October for a pre-sentence report.
