Cork judge disappointed at lack of psychiatric report on woman accused of putting ex in fear

The woman is accused of putting her ex-partner in fear by sending him 200 texts, voice messages and pictures, one of which allegedly showed her pointing an apparent firearm at the camera

The court heard that Limerick Prison lacked the resources for a psychiatric report to be prepared on the woman. File Picture: Dan Linehan

A judge expressed disappointment that Limerick Prison lacked the resources for a psychiatric report to be prepared on a woman accused of sending 200 texts, voice messages and pictures to her ex-partner, putting him in fear.

Judge Mary Dorgan had requested a psychiatric report on the 35-year-old woman and adjourned the case to Tuesday for that to be provided from Limerick Prison.

The accused woman’s solicitor, Diarmuid Kelleher, said at the in-camera hearing where the parties cannot be identified: “she says she has not been seen by a doctor.” 

Judge Dorgan said: “The matter was put back for a psychiatric report. There is nothing to hand which is disappointing, to say the least… Limerick Prison say they did not have the resources to provide one.” 

The judge said she would ask for the accused to be brought to the Dóchas centre in Mountjoy Prison to facilitate the preparation of a psychiatric report but did not have the authority to stipulate the particular prison where an accused was held.

The case and other cases faced by the accused were put back to another court – Courtroom 3 – on January 10.

It was previously stated that one photograph referred to on a charge allegedly showed the accused woman pointing an apparent firearm at the camera, thereby putting her ex-partner in fear.

Mr Kelleher said the accused previously indicated she was pleading guilty to the charges but then changed her plea to not guilty.

Charges

The domestic charges were brought against the 35-year-old woman by Garda Eoghan O’Mahony following complaints from her ex-partner.

One charge states that on October 20, 2023, the accused sent her ex-partner over 80 text messages in a short period of time, in contravention of a protection order.

A second states that on November 2, 2023, she contravened this order by allegedly sending him over 200 text, voice and picture messages over a short period, including the picture of her allegedly pointing an apparent firearm at the camera.

The third alleged breach refers to an incident the following day at a fast food outlet in Cork. It states that she approached him, put her arms around him, kissed the back of his head and followed him a distance as he attempted to get away from her.