Cork mum assaulted security guard en route to Santa

A woman keen to bring children to Santa’s grotto reacted in an unseasonal spirit when refused entry to a shopping centre.

Sylvia O’Driscoll, aged 28, of 6 Seminary Place, Cork, pleaded guilty to assaulting a security man. She also admitted at Cork District Court to engaging in threatening behaviour at the Blackpool Shopping Centre.

She pushed a security guard in the chest when he told her she could not enter.

Donal Daly, solicitor, said O’Driscoll was bringing children to Santa’s grotto when the security man — who knew her from previous offending behaviour — told her she could not enter the centre on December 12, 2014.

“She got very upset because on the day she had been doing nothing untoward,” said Mr Daly. “She had a verbal altercation with the security man. One word followed another and she pushed him and strolled off.”

He accepted Ms O’Driscoll had a bad record. He said she was very embarrassed and reacted incorrectly.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: “She has a bad record but I will give her an opportunity to avoid jail.” He ordered 200 hours of community service for her threatening behaviour and imposed a four-month suspended jail term for the assault charge.

Warning about any future offending, Judge Kelleher said: “It will be prison the next day, unfortunately.”