Woman rang for ambulance sixty times in the one year

A 63-year-old woman who called out the ambulance services 60 times last year and a further 20 times so far in 2020, was warned by Judge Kevin Kilrane to stop the ‘utter abuse of the system’.

Marie Brady, of Drumcormick, Knockvicar, was before last Thursday’s sitting of Sligo District Court charged with assaulting Garda Mary Baldwin, by kicking her in the leg at Drumcormick, Knockvicar on April 28th 2020.

A further charge of spitting into the garda’s face was struck out by the judge.

The court was told the Garda had received a Covid-19 test which had come back negative.

It was heard that the alleged spitting by the defendant was not intentional with the defendant shouting at gardaí and that spittle may have landed inadvertently.

Defending solicitor Mr Peter Collins said his client, who was in court with her daughter, was not going to contest the assault charge. He said his client says her behaviour on the day was ‘disgraceful’. She had taken a large amount of alcohol and the gardaí were trying to calm her.

Judge Kilrane asked the defendant if she remembered the event and she replied ‘not 100%’.

He then asked was it because of alcohol and if she was taking medication and she said yes.

The judge then asked why she had called the ambulance 60 times last year and 20 times already this year and Brady said she felt at the time that she needed it.

Judge Kilrane said it was nonsense to call out the ambulance 60 times last year and also the gardaí, who were asked by the ambulance staff to assist.

“This nonsense has to stop now,” he told her. “There is no more calling unless essential.”

The defendant said she was very ashamed of her behaviour. Sgt Butler interjected: ‘and the verbal abuse’. Brady said the verbal abuse was very rare.

The judge said it was ‘ total and utter abuse of the system’ and that she had brought disgrace to herself and her family.

The defendant said she never intentionally meant to insult gardaí. The judge replied that her behaviour was going to stop and that ‘ history begins for you today, May 7 th 2020’.

Her daughter said it was hoped her mother would be accepted into a centre at the end of the month.

She said she had never seen her mother this low and she had reached rock bottom.

The judge said he was grateful to her for coming to court. The judge remanded Brady on bail to appear again at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on July 28th, with conditions including no consumption of alcohol, to seek professional help and not to call the emergency services unless medically warranted.