Mother pleads guilty to public intoxication and being drunk in charge of a child
A MOTHER-of-one was intoxicated and stumbling with her two-year-old son in a buggy when gardai were called to the scene of a drunken argument on a street in south west Dublin.
The 20-year-old woman was given a two-week suspended sentence after a court heard Tusla had investigated and there were no ongoing concerns for the child’s safety.
Blanchardstown District Court
The accused pleaded guilty to public intoxication and being drunk in charge of a child apparently under the age of seven.
Blanchardstown District Court heard the incident happened on December 26 last year.
Sergeant Walter Sweeney told Judge David McHugh gardai were called to the scene to find a man and woman arguing.
The accused was pushing a toddler in a buggy and when the gardai approached the couple, they noticed straight away they smelled strongly of alcohol.
The man was irate with the gardai, who directed him to leave. The woman was also directed to leave and did so “partially”, but came back, clearly intoxicated, slurring her words and stumbling from side to side, the child still with her.
She was arrested.
Tusla was notified as standard practice and had liaised with the accused, who had no previous convictions, Sgt Sweeney said.
Defence solicitor Valerie Buckley said Tusla was satisfied no further action was needed. The accused was very apologetic and is taking the case extremely seriously, Ms Buckley said.
The woman was “no longer with this gentleman” and no longer drank alcohol.
The child’s father was still very much part of his life and was very supportive. The accused was living with her mother, and has “extra support there now”.
The drunk in charge of a child count was the matter that was “of the gravest concern,” Judge McHugh said.
The law had provision for up to 28 days in jail “and hard labour”, though the judge said the 1908 Act was “out of date”.
To be drunk in charge of a child “must be of great concern to the court and the community in general,” he said.
The judge was satisfied the woman had co-operated fully with the authorities and suspended the 14-day sentence for a year.
Under conditions, she must continue to liaise with the probation service.
“I accept her remorse and she is a person of previous good character,” the judge said. “It is important she re-establishes in the most responsible way a good relationship with her child as she goes forward.”
