Court briefs and appeals

37 days in prison A Cavan woman, who pleaded guilty to public order offences at Cootehill District Court last week, was sentenced to 37 days in prison to run concurrently with another sentence she's already serving. The court heard that Brigid O'Malley (52), 17 St. Patrick's Terrace, Cavan, was intoxicated and abusive to gardaí on the three occasions. Outlining the evidence to Judge Patrick Clyne, Inspector Raymond McMahon said Ms. O'Malley had twelve previous convictions and is currently in custody but due for release on September 3. The judge imposed the sentence on the charge of failing to comply with a garda's direction to leave Farnham Street, Cavan on May 8, this year. Three charges of being intoxicated on a public place on January 24 at Main Street, Virginia; on April 23 at St. Patrick's Terrace, Cavan and on May 8 at Farnham Street, Cavan were proven but taken into consideration. A further charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour was also taken into consideration. No insurance A man who pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and was disqualified at the time of the offence is to work 180 hours community service in lieu of three months in prison, if suitable. Diogo Oliviera Pereira, 1 Annalee Grove, Errigal, Cootehill was before Judge Patrick Clyne at Cootehill District Court last week for driving without insurance at Bough, Cootehill, on February 2, this year, and the court heard that he had already been disqualified from driving for one year from June 28, last year. Solicitor for the defendant, Damien Rudden, told the court that his client "has no excuse", but he asked the judge for "some form of clemency" because Mr. Pereira works to support his partner and their baby and had pleaded at the earliest opportunity. Judge Clyne said that the defendant had to learn that the courts don't just hand out paper but they have teeth as well. He put the case back to October 27 for a Probation and Welfare report to be prepared to see if he is suitable for community service, saying, "he's a very lucky man". Bench warrants At a sitting of Cootehill District Court last week, bench warrants were issued for the following: John Masterson (23), 40 St. Berach's Place, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5, who failed to appear on a theft charge; Paul McMahon (28), 26 Creighan Drive, Cavan, who failed to appear on charges of theft and criminal damage; and Seamus McGeady (25), 23 Cromore, Derry, who failed to appear on a charge of possession of cocaine. Customs case overturned A Mountnugent woman was was fined €1,500 in the District Court when convicted on a charge of impeding a customs officer from executed his duty had the decision overturned at a sitting of Cavan Circuit Court last week. Marie Brady, Ross, Mountnugent, was charged that being a person in charge of a vehicle at Drumbee, Kilnaleck, on July 27, 2007, did impede customs officer Padraig O'Laochdha, in the execution of his duty, namely to seize the vehicle on the occasion. She successfully appealed the case before Judge John O'Hagan last week. The judge allowed her appeal in full, which means that the fine of €1,500 was totally erased and the appellant now has no conviction in relation to the matter.