Westport judge Seamus Hughes called a woman a “tinker” when told she smashed another woman in the face with a pint glass.
“What sort of person are you?” Judge Hughes demanded of Catherine Joyce (23 ), of Battery Heights, Athlone, in the District Court in Athlone - one of three he presides over in the Midlands - this week (December 12 ).
“The only word I can think of is tinker, and I don’t use this with aspersions on anyone else,” he clarified, recalling a case in September in which he referred to the behaviour of some members of the Travelling community as “Neanderthal”.
Earlier, Inspector Aidan Minnock told the court how his staff had been called to deal with an assault on a Ms Georgina Barker in 41s nightclub on Church Street, Athlone, at 11.25pm on October 29, 2011.
“Judge, she bumped into the defendant, and accidentally spilt some drink on her. Ms Joyce took her drink off her, and hit her in the face with a pint glass,” he said.
“Oh, very ladylike!” said Judge Hughes.
The inspector explained how Ms Barker was taken to hospital with an open wound above her eyebrow, and had it glued together there.
The inspector informed the judge that Joyce had a previous conviction for assault causing harm from April 30, 2010, for which she was given two months in prison, suspended for two years.
“If she’d been charged with this the next day we would have had to invoke the suspended sentence, but because the Gardaí have decided to deal with it by way of summons, it’s been delayed until now,” Judge Hughes pointed out.
Noting Joyce’s age he turned to her and said: “Twenty three? 99.99 per cent of Irish people can get through life without a Section 3 conviction, and you have two”.
Defending solicitor Mr Brian O’Brien said that following a breakup around that time “she had gone haywire” and was afraid Ms Barker was going to hit her first.
He said his client had €700 in court for compensation.
“It was an expensive night out for you,” said the judge, as he sentenced her to two months in prison, suspended for two years.
“She has to be controlled in some form or another,” he added.
