Offaly mother threatened to throw ornament at gardai trying to search her house

There is nothing like an aggrieved Irish mother, remarked Judge Alec Gabbett at Tullamore District Court recently.

On April 2, 2021, a woman tried to stop gardai from entering her home to carry out a search under the misuse of drugs act until she saw they had a warrant, Tullamore District Court heard.

The woman became very aggressive and picked up a glass ornament to throw at Gardai and had to be restrained, the court heard. A white powder was discovered in the house.

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Her solicitor said the defendant was 48 and it shouldn’t have happened. Her son was just 16 and when she saw him being arrested she panicked. This was the first time the house was searched. She overacted. She is not working and has two children. She is on job seekers allowance. The father of her children has little or no involvement with them and her son has a learning difficulty. She is doing her best, her solicitor said.

Judge Alec Gabbett said the offence warrants a conviction. Anyone who assaults a garda… he said. Her solicitor said she didn’t assault the gardai it was an obstruction, But Judge Gabbett said it was the same thing.

He said the gardai have had enough problems in the last two years without people impeding their work. He fined the defendant €200 and gave her six months to pay.