Within a month of moving to Mullingar from Dublin to make a fresh start, a mother of three has twice been found so drunk that she couldn’t stand.
Judge Seamus Hughes told Margaret Zaman (30 ), Clonmore Heights that her 38 convictions are high by rural standards, particularly for a lady of her age. He observed she was both drunk and a danger to herself and others at some ungodly hour.
Gardaí found her on October 10 at 1.15am at Mount Street, unable to stand or speak.
She was confused and kept swinging at gardaí and called one female officer a bitch, Inspector Jarlath Folan said.
At 2.50am on November 2 she was found lying under a bush at Clonmore Heights trying to hide from gardaí.
She was again extremely intoxicated, slurring her words and unsteady and had to be arrested.
Judge Hughes described her as an experienced court attendee and ordered her to pay her own solicitor’s fees rather than granting her legal aid.
Zaman, who has not been in prison before, has recently experienced a family tragedy, solicitor Louis Kiernan said, adding that this caused the relapse in her behaviour.
Because she is setting herself up in Mullingar her financial circumstances are not good and she does not get rent allowance, he said.
Judge Hughes imposed €100 fines in each case of public drunkenness.
