A CIRCUIT court judge has described the actions of a Dunmanway woman who coughed into the face of two people in a supermarket queue during the height of the Covid pandemic as ‘frankly atrocious’.
Judge Helen Boyle made the comment at the Circuit Court sittings in Clonakilty while dealing with the case of Alannah O’Driscoll who was appealing two three-month sentences for assault, which she received in the district court.
Ms O’Driscoll of Coolmountain, Dunmanway, had been in Aldi in Dunmanway on September 17th, 2020 when the assaults occurred.
Acting State solicitor Jerry Healy told Judge Boyle that Ms O’Driscoll was in a queue in the supermarket on that date and wasn’t wearing a face mask, which was required at the time.
‘A man asked her to wear one, but she reacted by assaulting him, by coughing in his face,’ he said.
Barrister Peter O’Flynn said she went back to the supermarket the following day to apologise to the staff.
‘She was on medication at the time and not in a good place. She has done well since and is mother to a three-year-old child and is currently doing a culinary course in the College of Commerce in Cork.’
He handed in a report from the Good Shepherd services which he said was very positive towards her and said that she has turned her life around and apologised for her actions.
He added that she hadn’t come to garda attention since.
‘She received a prison sentence and I’m asking the court to suspend it as it was out of character. She got into an argument with the man in the queue.’
Judge Helen Boyle described the defendant’s actions as ‘appalling’ and selfish.
‘She is studying catering and will have to comply with all the health regulations and the laws of the land. It was frankly atrocious behaviour when people were living in fear.
‘She felt the laws didn’t apply to her and then became abusive to a man,’ Judge Boyle added.
Judge Boyle allowed the appeal and suspended two three-months sentences for 12 months on condition that she enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour during that period.
