Clare intruder 'had eyes bulging out of her head like a rabbit with myxomatosis', court told

Solicitor, Daragh Hassett, said that his client Laura Molloy wants to apologise for her actions on the night saying that she was out of control

The judge said he wanted to put in place a deterrent suspending the four-month prison term for two years. File picture

A 33-year-old Co Clare mother of seven “was completely out of control and had eyes bulging out of her head like a rabbit with myxomatosis” when trying to break in to a couple’s bedroom late at night at a house in east Clare last July.

In the case, Mary Cashin and her partner, Gerry Reynolds were woken at 1am on the morning of July 1 when Laura Molloy was trying to break in to their bedroom through a partially opened window at their home at Cuinne an Bhroic, Tulla, in east Clare.

In evidence, Garda Niall Naughton said that Mary Cashin was woken up by banging and crashing on her window. Garda Naughton said both the couple and Molloy live in the new Clare County Council estate of Cuinne An Bhroic in Tulla.

He said that Ms Cashin “woke up to see Laura Molloy trying to force her way into her bedroom through her window”. Garda Naughton said Ms Cashin described Molloy “as being out of control and eyes popping out of her head and screaming ‘I’ll kill you’ over and over”.

The officer said that Gerry Reynolds was woken by the sounds and saw Laura Molloy “screaming at his partner”. The garda said Mr Reynolds told gardaí that Ms Molloy was “completely out of control and had eyes bulging out of her head like a rabbit with myxomatosis”.

Garda Naughton said Mary Cashin and Gerry Reynolds were in total shock and fear and Molloy made serious threats against Ms Cashin. The garda said that during the course of the incident, as Ms Cashin was trying to close the window, Molloy grabbed her arm.

The officer said eye-witnesses described Molloy as being on a rampage that night in the estate.

Guilty plea

In the case, Molloy pleaded guilty to trespass in a manner to cause fear in another person and Judge Alec Gabbett imposed a suspended four-month prison term on Molloy for the offence.

Garda Naughton said Ms Molloy was intoxicated and very paranoid on the night saying that “lasers were putting excrement into her skin”. The garda said the incident left Mary Cashin in a severe state of shock and Sgt John Burke said Ms Cashin had provided a lengthy victim impact statement to the court.

Solicitor, Daragh Hassett, said that his client wants to apologise for her actions on the night saying that she was out of control. Mr Hassett said Molloy was fortunate to get a house at the council estate saying that this was the first house that she ever lived in after living in a compound in Ennis before that.

Mr Hassett said Molloy lost her husband to suicide and she had his headstone erected a number of weeks ago which might bring closure. The solicitor said Molloy could not sleep at night and was raising seven children on her own. Mr Hassett said that Molloy has not offended since.

Sentencing

Judge Gabbett said that if he was to jail Molloy he would have to deal with seven interim care order applications for the children later in court. 

The judge said he wanted to put in place a deterrent suspending the four-month prison term for two years.

Judge Gabbett also imposed a €200 fine on Molloy who has 15 previous convictions, including five public order offences, but had no conviction since 2019.