A woman who abused Gardai late at night when drunk, avoided a five month jail sentence in court this week (October 28 ) after she convinced the judge she was going to work for a law firm in New York.
“It’s fair to tell, Ms Dillon, the truth comes out in a drunk person,” said Judge John Neilan to the defendant, Emma Dillon (22 ), of Oaklawn Drive, Racecourse Road, Roscommon.
Dillon had been arrested at 1.40am on Rectory Road, Athlone on September 1 after she interfered in another matter with which gardai were dealing.
“She was ordered to leave but refused to go,” said Superintendent Aidan Glacken, who then referred to her language at arrest.
“What sort of language?” asked the judge.
“Quote - ‘you can go f*** your Section 8’,” said Supt Glacken.
This is the section of the Public Order Act 1998 under which a person can be arrested for refusing to follow a reasonable Garda direction or order.
Her solicitor, Mr Tony McLynn, told the court his client had been with friends in a nightclub and, after leaving, claimed a third party had threatened a friend.
“At present my client works in a clerical capacity but has a job lined up with a law firm in New York in February, pending a work visa,” said Mr McLynn.
She had no previous convictions.
Judge Neilan told Dillon he was looking at giving her a five month sentence.
“I’m not saying this as a threat but because every Garda first and foremost is a citizen of the State and deserves the same treatment as you,” said the judge.
“People are prisoners in their own homes from 10 o’clock on a Friday night because there’s young people such as you on the streets full to the gills with drink and if you and your friends think you can carry on like this, Mountjoy will put an end to it”.
However, noting she had no previous convictions and knowing one would ruin the possibility in New York for ever, he adjourned a final decision until April 28 and offered Dillon the promise of the Probation Act then “if there are no further appearances.”
