Drunk woman with beer can assaulted gardaí after staggering into Midlands station

She public office of Tullamore Garda Station while highly intoxicated

A woman who went into the public office of Tullamore Garda Station while highly intoxicated went on to assault two Gardai, the town's District court heard.

Dena Gonoude (29) of 4, Dunvale Apartments, Market Square, Tullamore pleaded guilty to the offences.

In his evidence to the court Sergeant Brendan Kearns said that on October 14, 2023 at 3.10am, Ms Gonoude staggered into the public office of the garda station holding a can of beer in her hand. She was highly abusive to Gardai and as she was being arrested and being escorted by Garda Alan Mills she began to drag her feet on the ground. She then kicked out at Garda Dillon McGlynn and punched Garda Dermot Bannon in the chest.

Ms Gonoude had two previous convictions for intoxication and public order offences for which she had been fined €400.

Her solicitor Donal Farrelly said his client was apologetic and had written a letter of apology.

He said while she accepted that she kicked out she didn't accept that she had punched Garda Bannon in the chest.

Judge Andrew Cody asked if she was accepting the facts or not. Ms Gonoude told the Judge that she had kicked out but rejected that she had punched Garda Bannon in the chest. She said she had been assaulted herself prior to entering the garda station.

Solicitor Donal Farrelly said she had been with a very violent individual who had assaulted her quite badly and she had foolishly gone drinking afterwards.

He said she has two brothers which she looks after. One was a heroin addict. Her brother was in Portlaoise. She has attended CADS and is off drink. She had apologised quite quickly after the incident. She is also a carer for her mother who has cancer. She has a difficult background, said Mr Farrelly. More below picture of judge in the case.

Judge Andrew Cody remarked that if she goes to the garda station to make a complaint and ends up kicking and punching the gardai, then that is not going to solve her problems.

For the assault on Garda Bannon, Judge Cody imposed a sentence of three months suspended for two years. For the assault on Garda Dillon he imposed another three months which he suspended for two years. He took the other offences into consideration.