Woman threatened gardaí with dogs

A woman threatened to set her dogs on gardaí and she later attacked an officer by kicking him and scratching his neck with her nails until she drew blood.

Teri Mulcahy of Steam Packet Quay, Passage West, Co Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of assault causing harm to Garda Joseph Halpin.

Inspector Bill Duane said gardaí responded to a call about a disturbance on October 29, 2014, at an apartment complex at Railway Street, Passage West.

Noises were coming from the apartment complex and when the gardaí entered, a number of people left without causing any difficulty to gardaí. At one of the apartments they met Teri Mulcahy who was under the influence of liquor and was abusive to gardaí.

“She threatened to let her two dogs loose on them,” Insp Duane said.

Garda Joseph Halpin looked in the window of the apartment and saw two dogs present inside.

“Ms Mulcahy then kicked Garda Halpin in the thigh and went for his neck with her nails scratching him and drawing blood,” Insp Duane said. She attempted to punch and kick gardaí who were also present. Insp Duane said the young woman was aggressive and continued to be aggressive when she was taken into the patrol van.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy asked, “What is behind this thuggery?” Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said the young woman had actually been the victim of an assault that night in which she sustained head injuries.

“That is the reason gardaí were called. She had a very bad time on the night. She mixed up gardaí with the people who assaulted her,” Mr Burke said.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy asked if the gardaí were in uniform on the night and Inspector Duane replied that they were. Mr Burke said the neck injuries to the garda consisted of scratches.

He said the accused had spent 28 days in rehabilitation to get sober but had certain difficulties and went drinking on the night in question.

Mr Burke said intoxication was exacerbated by her being on heavy medication at the time. Judge McCarthy adjourned sentencing for two months to allow time for the preparation of a probation report.