Former Miss Ireland Andrea Roche shouted abuse at a garda in a roadside dispute over a speeding fine, a court heard yesterday.
The Tipperary model was fined £150 for using threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour, with two further £40 fines for failing to produce her licence and driving without L-plates, after being stopped near Waterford City on March 27th.
Roche (22) of Clonmel, Co Tipperary pleaded guilty.
Garda Anthony Fennelly told Waterford District Court he was operating a speed check at Kilmeaden, Co Waterford at 5.15 p.m. when he stopped Roche for breaking the 40 m.p.h limit.
She denied she was speeding and began to shout and verbally abuse him, saying she was on the way to visit her mother in hospital.
During the 15-minute exchange, she became increasingly aggressive, called Garda Fennelly a bastard and told him "to go after some real criminals".
When she began crying, the garda told her she wasn't helping herself and she replied: "It couldn't get any worse."
Garda Fennelly said Roche cursed him and his family and wished them "the worst luck in the world".
Mr Cyril Cawley, defending, pointed out that his client had paid the fine, contacted the garda to apologise and had again apologised in court. She had no recollection of using "the B word", he added.
Mr Cawley said that his client was very upset because her mother was ill and her grandmother, who lives in England, was undergoing a serious operation.