Woman made hoax bomb call to hotel after row with boyfriend

A 22-year-old woman made a hoax call claiming a bomb had been planted in a Dublin 4 hotel after she had a row with her boyfriend, a court has heard.

Sinead King of Tyrconnell Road, Dublin pleaded guilty today to making a false report causing apprehension for safety of people, at the Mespil Hotel, in the city's south-side on January 1, 2011.

Dublin District Court heard she made the hoax call after she had an argument with her boyfriend who works at the hotel.

Judge Cormac Dunne was told a member of the public made a 999 call stating “a bomb was located at the Mespil hotel”.

As a result of the report, a search was carried out at the grounds and inside the D4 hotel which did not need to be evacuated.

The call was traced to King, who has no prior criminal convictions. When questioned by gardaí she claimed that she had received a call from another person stating there was a bomb in the hotel.

However, gardaí could not find evidence of her receiving any calls at the time she claimed.

Defence solicitor Niamh O'Regan told the court that King has not come to any more garda attention and is apologetic.

The defence lawyer said King had had a row with her boyfriend who works in the hotel, and “that is the reason she placed the call”.

Judge Dunne disagreed with suggestions that King had co-operated with gardaí, because she lied to them when she claimed she had received a telephone call with information about a bomb.

The defence said that a medical report in relation to King's difficulties could be provided to the court.

Judge Dunne adjourned sentencing and remanded her on continuing bail for two weeks for the report to be obtained.