Tullamore woman pleads guilty to pulling hair and slapping man

A TULLAMORE defendant, Carina O'Sullivan, 64 Cloncollig Estate appeared at last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court on a public order issue, to which she pleaded guilty.

The court was told that this incident was part of “an ongoing issue between neighbours over a long period of time,” and for that reason, said defending solicitor Donal Farrelly, the most prudent way to deal with it would be through a Restorative Justice Order.

Sgt James O'Sullivan told the court that the Gardaí received a call to come to Cloncollig housing estate on July 10th 2021. When they arrived there, they were told by the injured party that Ms O'Sullivan had pulled his hair and slapped him.

“My client says,” commented Mr Farrelly, “that the injured party had struck her with eggs some time before as she was walking past his house, and was laughing at her.”

mS O'Sullivan had 13 previous convictions, including a Section 3 assault conviction for which she got six months in Mountjoy female prison.

The defendant, who is 52 years of age, “found prison very traumatic,” remarked the solicitor. “When she came back from prison the neighbours name-called her, accusing her of being terrible things which she isn't. These false accusations caused her considerable anxiety. She is pleading with the County Council to remove her to another house in a different area, away from this tense situation.”

Judge Patricia Cronin adjourned the case and asked for a Restorative Justice Report at the next sitting.