Judge threatens to put sisters in a ‘windowless white wagon’
At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan issued his ultimatum after sisters, Emily Mounsey, aged 37, and Michelle O’Loughlin, aged 40, gave sworn undertakings they would not interfere with each other and would respect one another in the future.
The two were before court yesterday charged with the minor assault of each other arising from an incident last June at Ms Mounsey’s home in Corofin.
The two are not on speaking terms and Judge Durcan struck out the charges — but only after the two gave undertakings under oath to respect each other in the future.
In striking out the charges, Judge Durcan also gave gardaí the liberty to re-enter the matter before him if there is any breach by either sister. He said: “If there is any difficulty, you will come back before me here.
“I don’t have much time for this carry-on and if you do come back, I will put ye into a windowless white wagon and send you on a little trip and ye can scream at each other to your little hearts’ content.”
The judge said that it is very clear that there is one law to govern the two “and that is Garda Andrew Monaghan’s law and whatever he says is what you do”.
Addressing the two, Judge Durcan said: “My advice is make up the row. Good luck to you.”
In the case, mother of two, Ms Mounsey, of The Glebe, Corofin, and her old sister and mother of four, Michelle O’Loughlin, of Newtown, Corofin, were charged with a minor assault on each other arising from an incident at Ms Mounsey’s home on June 2. Ms Mounsey told the court that she had made recent efforts to phone her sister to make up, but her sister didn’t answer. She said: “I tried to resolve it.”
Asked whether her children aged 15 and six talk with their cousins aged 24, 23, 17, and 13, Ms Mounsey said: “They were up until recently and after the bit of trouble happened, they don’t talk now.”
Ms O’Loughlin said her youngest does talk to her cousins and that they are friends.
Judge Durcan said: “Isn’t it all very sad?”
Garda Monaghan said the two women entering the sworn undertakings “is the best course of action”.
He said there have been no further incidents between the two since last June.
Giving her sworn undertaking, Ms Mounsey agreed with her solicitor, Daragh Hassett, that she would not call or text her sister unless they agree to meet up “and put this to bed”.
In the witness box, Ms O’Loughlin said that she would respect her sister and her family and would encourage her children to talk to her sister’s children.
The two left the courtroom separately with supporters after the case was completed.
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