Mum was abusive on night out

A mum of four who was seen by Gardai in a fight with another woman shortly before 3am following a night out has been given an opportunity to escape a conviction if she pays money to a charity instead.

Kathleen Doran, (26), 531 Ashling Park, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour at Earl Street on May 5 last year.

Judge Deirdre Gearty was told that Gardai on patrol spotted Doran and another woman fighting with each other. The Gardai stopped the patrol car and they told the pair to leave the area but the defendant refused and became abusive to the other woman as well as to Gardai.

She was arrested for public order offences.

Doran, who has no previous convictions, had, the judge was told, been offered the opportunity of getting an adult caution instead of coming to court, but Gardai said ‘ she didn’t accept it’.

Solicitor Paula Tiernan said her client had never come to the attention of Gardai before and has never been in trouble. She works as a part time cleaner and has four children.

Ms Tiernan said: ‘She never normally gets out and she had too much to drink on this occasion’.

Judge Gearty wanted to know what age Doran’s children were and she was told they ranged from age eight to two years old.

The judge said she wanted a donation made to the Garda Benevolent Fund and suggested €100 was an appropriate amount. The judge said: ‘She has money to be out on the street at night and drink. And she wouldn’t take the adult caution. Why was she out?’

Ms Tiernan said her client had simply gone on a night out. And Doran didn’t take the caution because ‘while she accepted her actions, she didn’t accept the facts’. The solicitor asked the judge for Doran to be allowed some time to gather the money.

Judge Gearty adjourned the case to June 7 and said that it would be struck out if the donation was made, but if it wasn’t a conviction would be recorded and a fine of €150 would be imposed.