Judge Mary Devins said that the actions of two women on a night out in Ballina were “shocking”.
On October 21 2012 at 1.15am Garda Caroline Clarke observed Ann Melia, 90 Greenhills Estate, Ballina, on Pearse Street. Melia was intoxicated and was shouting and roaring at the garda. The defendant refused to give her name and address to the garda. She said to Garda Clarke that the garda knew her and called the garda “a f***ing liar”. The woman was taken home by a male in her company. Fixed charge notices for disorderly conduct and being intoxicated in a public place were issued to her but not paid.
At the same time and same location Garda Clarke also observed Pauline Marshall, 35 Bunree Road, Ballina, who was highly intoxicated. The defendant vomited on the street and was unsteady on her feet. She became agitated towards the garda. However the garda could not understand what she was saying as she was making no sense while she was roaring and shouting. Fixed charge notices for disorderly conduct and being intoxicated in a public place were issued to her but not paid.
Garda Clarke said that Melia was not as drunk as Marshall. Both women apologised to the garda before court, however they were not present in court when their case was heard but their solicitor John Gordon was present.
Marshall (48 ) has seven children and grandchildren, Melia has five children. Neither women have been before the court before.
Judge Mary Devins said imagine if someone “videod the antics of these two ladies” and sat all their children and grandchildren around to watch their behaviour on the street. The judge said that it was “shocking”.
For being intoxicated in a public place, Marshall was convicted and fined €100. The section 5, disorderly conduct was taken into consideration. Melia was convicted and fined €100 for the section 5 charge and the section 4 charge was taken into consideration.
