Offaly woman's sentencing for assault adjourned

A judge's decision in relation to sentencing a woman for an assault was adjourned after Tullamore District Court heard the convicted woman had herself been assaulted since she pleaded guilty.

Sophie Judge (31), Townmore House, Main Street, Tullamore pleaded guilty late last year to assaulting another woman, causing her harm, at Distillery Lane, Tullamore on May 7, 2024.

When that plea was entered Sergeant Richard Thornton told the court that the gardai had been called by a member of the public telling them the assault had taken place.

“The assault had been preceded by a verbal altercation between the defendant and the injured party,” said Sergeant Thornton.

“When they arrived they saw that the injured party had a laceration to her head and abrasion marks on the right hand side of her face.”

Judge Andrew Cody said he wouldn't make a decision until he saw a victim impact statement and he adjourned the matter to last week's sitting of the court on January 15, saying he expected a meaningful expression of remorse from Ms Judge.

When the case was called last week Ms Judge's solicitor, Aisling Maloney, said her client was currently very distressed after being the victim of an assault.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns handed in a victim impact statement in relation to the May 7 assault and Judge Cody adjourned sentencing to February 5 next.