A GERMAN mother of six had a one-month prison sentence imposed on her for urinating and spitting in a Garda van after her arrest for public drunkenness when her case came before Judge Fiona Lydon at Galway District Court. In addition she received a further two months for causing a disturbance at UCHG the following day.
The Court heard that on September 16 at 3.40pm, Nadine Falke, 13, St Jarlath’s Court, The Glebe, Tuam was found by Gardaí intoxicated at Eyre Square. She used foul and insulting language towards them and was arrested. While being transported in the Garda van she urinated in the vehicle and spat and it had to be forensically cleansed afterwards at a cost of €181.60.
On September 17 Gardaí were called to the A&E Dept at UCHG where Falke was arguing with members of security. “F**k off away from me” she screamed at Gardaí and was again arrested.
The Court was told the defendant had 67 previous convictions and is currently serving a five-month prison sentence for a public order conviction.
Her defence pleaded that she was a German national and a mother of six who has been living in Ireland since 2014. She had little recollection of the events described but was pleading guilty to the charges. She had a difficult life and alcohol abuse was the underlying issue. She lived in the Tuam area and had travelled into Galway on the dates in question. Her engagement with support services had been sporadic, her defence admitted.
Judge Lydon noted that the defendant had a lot of more minor public order convictions but her behaviour had changed on the dates in question.
For the incidents at UCHG there was a maximum of three months on the charge but she was taking the guilty plea into account and reducing this to two months. On the charge of criminal damage to the Garda van which was urinated in, a consecutive one-month sentence was added. A number of additional charges were taken into account.
The Judge recommended Falke engage with addiction councillors while in prison. The new sentences are to run consecutively with the one she is currently serving.
In conclusion she told the defence that their client had done well, as she could have imposed a 12-months sentence on a criminal damage conviction.
