Judge tells Offaly woman she needs to be 'very careful'

A woman who was refused service in a public house pleaded guilty to public drunkenness when she appeared before Tullamore District Court.

Leanne Buckley (22), Chancery Park Gardens, Tullamore, admitted to the single charge under the Public Order Act when she appeared before the local District Court where she was represented by Brian Duffy, solicitor.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns said Ms Buckley was highly intoxicated when she entered Digan's pub in Tullamore on December 8 last and was immediately refused service.

The woman was unable to stand up and because staff were concerned for her safety they contacted gardai and Ms Buckley was brought to the garda station having been arrested for her own safety. There was no issue with her at the station, he added.

Sergeant Kearns said the woman had four previous convictions, including one for public drunkenness on an earlier date in 2025, for which she was fined.

Mr Duffy said the background to the incident was that Ms Buckley had been gifted some money by friends and family to buy a mobile phone but was scammed out of €700 when she attempted to buy it.

A friend of Ms Buckley then brought his client for a drink. She admitted herself afterwards that she could not remember anything for five or six hours and that left her in an extremely vulnerable position.

The solicitor said Ms Buckley was sorry for what she had done and he told Judge Andrew Cody that she had not caused any difficulty for the gardai after her arrest.

Judge Cody imposed a fine of €200 and gave the woman three months to pay it.