Woman asked if black doctor was ‘Crocodile Dundee’

A woman asked “is that Crocodile Dundee?” after refusing to provide a blood sample to a black doctor.

According to assistant state solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey, Rita Geoghegan, aged 51, was “extremely abusive and unco-operative” when brought to Shannon Garda Station on February 9 last year on suspicion of drink-driving.

Ms Casey said: “When the doctor arrived, who was a non-Irish national, the prisoner stated she was refusing to be seen by a black doctor and stated: ‘Is that Crocodile Dundee?’ ”

Ms Geoghegan of Newpark, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, opted to provide a urine sample instead, but tampered with the sample by adding water to the jug.

Sgt Diarmuid O’Brien put the tampering allegation on the night to Ms Geoghegan. According to Ms Casey, Ms Geoghegan replied: “There is water in there too.”

According to Ms Casey, Ms Geoghegan “again became violent, attempting to grab the custody record and lashing out at gardaí”.

At Ennis District Court in April, a judge imposed a two- year driving ban and fined Ms Geoghegan €1,000 after finding her guilty of careless driving and frustrating a prosecution.

Ms Geoghegan yesterday successfully appealed the severity of the conviction, having the two-year driving ban lifted after she apologised to the doctor and to the gardaí.