Woman who waved wheel brace at gardaí avoids jail

A woman who rushed at gardaí with a wheel brace over her head claimed yesterday she had been outside her home doing some work with the implement. In a similar incident a week later with a knife, she said it was a potato-peeler and she had been making the dinner.

Kathryn Sheehan of Willsbrook, Broadale, Maryborough Hill, Cork, was given an overall sentence of five months which was suspended on condition that she would keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the next two years.

Sheehan pleaded guilty to producing an implement and engaging in threatening behaviour in the course of both incidents.

Sheehan, who is in her mid-thirties, thanked the judge for the suspended jail terms and said that such orders helped her. “Funnily enough, they keep me from doing things. They keep me on track funnily enough.”

Inspector Ronan Kenneally described what happened. He said that on September 11, 2014, Detectives Aonghus Cotter and Denis Callanan went to Willsbrook and as they were turning the garda car in the estate she came out shouting very aggressively.

“She made towards the driver’s side holding a wheel-brace and she threatened to cause damage to the car,” said Insp Kenneally. “She then went back into her house.”

One week later, on September 18, Dets Callanan and Seán Minihan were in the same area.

“She came out brandishing a large knife shouting expletives at gardaí. She returned to her house. There were members of the public present during both incidents,” Insp Kenneally said.

Sheehan has 46 previous convictions including counts for minor assaults, drug possession, and criminal damage.

Elaine O’Sullivan, defending, said the accused had severe depression, for which she had received medical attention and was now doing well with medication.

“She felt gardaí were victimising her somewhat, she felt it was a campaign against her,” said Ms O’Sullivan. “During the first incident she was doing outdoor work with a tool in her hand and on the second occasion she had a potato peeler in her hand. She was making dinner at the time. She admitted being verbally abusive to gardaí.”

Judge Olann Kelleher noted what was being said in mitigation but commented: “There are plenty of people with bi-polar condition but they don’t have 46 previous convictions and they don’t wave wheel-braces at gardaí and members of the public.”

The judge said the case warranted a custodial sentence but that he would give Sheehan a suspended sentence on this occasion.