Cork paramedic addicted to Oxycontin appeals drug-driving prison sentence

Martina O’Sullivan was seen driving on to the wrong side of a road and otherwise driving erratically

The barrister said the former ambulance driver was prescribed Oxycontin at a hospital in Northern Ireland following an injury she sustained in the course of her work five years ago. File photo: AP/Toby Talbot

An advanced paramedic who became addicted to the painkilling drug Oxycontin has appealed against a five-month jail term for repeatedly driving under the influence of cocaine and having no insurance.

Alison McCarthy, barrister, asked Judge Helen Boyle at Cork Circuit Appeals Court to direct some kind of help for Martina O’Sullivan rather than a jail term.

The barrister said the former ambulance driver did not even have as much as a parking ticket before she was prescribed Oxycontin at a hospital in Northern Ireland following an injury she sustained in the course of her work five years ago.

“It is a very tragic case and a tragic set of circumstances. I am asking the court to help this woman, to refer her to the probation service – anywhere that will help this woman,” Ms McCarthy BL said.

Judge Helen Boyle said she would direct the attendance of the appellant at the probation service and she adjourned the appeal until July 25.

Judge Boyle said: “She needs help and assistance. She also needs to not drive.” Sergeant Pat Lyons said when the accused was convicted and sentenced at Cork District Court, that a motorist on the Cork to Mallow Road became so concerned about Martina O’Sullivan driving on to the wrong side of the road and otherwise driving erratically that he managed to overtake her and signal for her to stop.

Judge Olann Kelleher said of this intervention: “Members of the public have to be commended for stopping her before someone was killed on the Mallow Road, which is a dangerous road. People on the Mallow Road that day are lucky to be alive.” 

Judge Kelleher imposed a jail term of five months on 43-year-old Martina O’Sullivan of 14 Upper St. Joseph’s Road, Mallow, County Cork, on counts including dangerous driving, having no insurance, drug-driving and possession of Diamorphine (heroin) for her own use.

The heroin possession was detected at Charlemont Terrace, Wellington Road, Cork, when Martina O’Sullivan was seen discarding items in her car. A bag of heroin was recovered. It had a street value of €280 and she admitted having it for her own personal use.

When she was later tested for the presence of intoxicants in her blood, cocaine use was detected.

The incident on Mallow Road occurred on September 26, 2019, when a concerned motorist called gardaí and notified them that he had managed to get another motorist to stop and pull in after she had been driving erratically.

Martina O’Sullivan had qualified as an advance paramedic and she was based at Mallow hospital for a period and had her own jeep for travelling to emergency situations. On one occasion while dealing with a man who fell under machinery on a farm and went into a diabetic coma, she suffered her own serious injury as she was trying to treat the patient in this difficult situation.

He rolled over and “she got crushed between him and the machine.” She was seriously injured. She was put on medication, including Oxycontin.