Barefoot woman verbally abused ambulance staff bringing her for treatment, court hears

A woman began verbally abusing ambulance staff while being brought for treatment and when concerned staff pulled in she left the vehicle barefoot and was found later following a Garda search.

Alana O’Driscoll, with an address at East End House, Cool Mountain, Dunmanway in Co Cork faced two public order charges arising out of the incident at 1.30am on April 4 last year.

Sgt Paul Kelly told Clonakilty District Court that on that night gardaí received a call from ambulance control that a patient travelling between Skibbereen and Clonakilty had become abusive.

Sgt Kelly said that due to her behaviour the ambulance pulled in, at which point Ms O’Driscoll, 21, walked barefoot from the vehicle, having already tried to open the door when the ambulance was still moving.

Following an extensive Garda search she was found 50 minutes later in a different part of the town. Still highly intoxicated, she had no idea where she was, declined Garda assistance, became argumentative and was arrested.

Her solicitor, Flor Murphy, said Ms O’Driscoll had been out in Skibbereen earlier that night and had fallen, hurting her hand.

The court heard she had 13 previous convictions, including two for criminal damage and two for assaulting police officers. Judge James McNulty heard that the cruelty charges had resulted in a two year suspended prison sentence.

Flor Murphy said his client had had a troubled upbringing and was “not in a good place” at the time of this incident.

He also said Ms O’Driscoll had been on quite a lot of medication and that she should not have mixed that medication with alcohol.

“She got paranoid that night,” Mr Murphy said. “They [ambulance staff] were trying to help her, she felt scared and paranoid.

“She deeply regrets that night and apologises to ambulance crew and Gardai. This was way out of order.” The judge said Ms O’Driscoll was probably deserving of support more than punishment and is already in the care of the Probation Service.

He said the incident caused alarm to ambulance staff and was a waste of the time of public servants. He convicted her on her plea to one public order charge, with the other withdrawn by the state, but deferred penalty until November 22 next.