A 3-year-old woman, who allegedly spat at a garda after claiming she had been tested for Covid-19, has been ordered to self-isolate at her Dublin home.
Caroline Farrell from St Attracta Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, was charged with being intoxicated in public, breach of the peace and assaulting the Garda on Tuesday evening.
She appeared at Dublin District Court before Judge Dermot Dempsey who granted bail with conditions stating she must self-isolate, obey a 4pm-to-6am curfew and remain sober.
Ms Farrell appeared via video-link from another room in the building flanked by guards dressed in masks and personal protective clothing.
Garda Sergeant John L’Estrange told the court Ms Farrell made no reply when charged.
He objected to bail due to the seriousness of the case and said the assault charge can, on conviction, carry a five-year sentence.
Garda Sergeant L’Estrange said it was alleged Garda Tara Byrne and Garda John Farrelly had been on patrol at St Attracta Road when the defendant approached.
It was alleged she was highly intoxicated, “to an extent she was a danger to herself and others”.
The court heard she bumped on the patrol car window and Garda Byrne exited the vehicle. It was alleged the accused spat at her and shouted: “I’ve been tested for coronavirus, you’ll all be sorry when I’m in hospital.”
The two gardaí “have had to self isolate and will do so for a number of days given the nature of the situation,” the sergeant said.
The sergeant said an aggravating factor of the case was that the defendant had been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for Covid-19. He said it had been indicated to him that the accused had been drinking with the coronavirus sufferer.
The officer had been told by a relative of the accused that she had not been tested for the disease, the court was told.
Garda Sergeant L’Estrange said Ms Farrell showed little regard for her own welfare or that of others in her actions. The level of intoxication was such that she was a danger to herself and the general public, he said.
Pleading for bail, defence solicitor Aonghus McCarthy said his client denies the allegations and she had instructed him that she has not been tested for coronavirus.
The sergeant replied that due to data protection there had been difficulties in verifying that.
Mr McCarthy put it to the sergeant that his client had called gardaí after she had been beaten up by two men. The sergeant answered that the gardaí who attended had been on patrol.
The solicitor said the attack on his client was filmed but the footage was not shown.
Mr McCarthy said the objections to bail could be met with conditions. He proposed a 24-hour day curfew so she could be on “lockdown” and self isolate at her home address.
Friends had brought €190 to court.
Judge Dempsey set bail in her own bond of €1,000 of which €300 must be lodged.
She must reside at her home address, stay sober and provide gardaí with a contact mobile phone number within 24 hours of taking up bail. Imposing a 4pm-to-6am curfew he also ordered her to self isolate at her home.
She became upset during the proceedings when she mistakenly thought she had been refused bail but her solicitor then explained the conditions to her.
She was ordered to appear again in one week. Legal aid was granted after the court heard she was on social welfare.