Woman poured sanitiser on garda station counter
A WOMAN who poured sanitiser on a garda station counter and shouted abuse was in “tremendous pain” because she was unable to get medication for an illness, a court heard.
Audrey Donohue had gone to the station because her partner who was meant to pay for her medication had been escorted there by gardai.
Blanchardstown District Court heard.
She was trying to resolve the situation but ended up being arrested for public order offences, Blanchardstown District Court heard.
Donohue, aged 51, with an address at Cherrywood Avenue, Clondalkin pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and violent behaviour at Clondalkin Garda Station on October 29.
Sergeant Walter Sweeney said the accused went to the station after 12pm, was abusive to gardai and poured sanitiser on the front desk.
She was arrested and charged.
The accused’s partner had been asked to accompany the gardai to the station earlier when a “difficulty arose”, her solicitor Kelly Breen said.
She suffered from chronic pancreatitis which was a very painful condition, and her partner was meant to have paid for her medication, Ms Breen said.
Donohue went to the station to see if she could resolve matters and was in a “tremendous amount of pain.”
“She also had drink taken,” Judge McHugh said.
Ms Breen said it was accepted the accused had “some alcohol taken” at the timer and Judge McHugh said it was not advisable for a person with pancreatitis to have a “few drinks.”
The accused was widowed six years ago, had children and had been left with a lot of debt after her husband died, Ms Breen said.
She was in an “extremely difficult situation” and had no gas in the house and “no money at the moment.”
She was on a widow’s pension.
Judge McHugh said he had a “certain sympathy” for the accused and applied the Probation of Offenders Act.
