Five months in prison for young woman who ‘went off the rails again’

A woman has been sentenced to five months in prison for being drunk and causing a breach of the peace in Cavan Town.

Sarah Tierney (27) with an address at Drumalee Court appeared at Cavan District Court was charged with causing a breach of the peace on Main Street, Cavan, at 10:55pm on June 21 last.

She was also in court on a charge of public intoxication at Townparks, Cavan, on June 1 last.

“As you’re aware, she has a problem with alcohol,” the defendant’s solicitor, Garrett Fortune, told Judge Raymond Finnegan. “She’s trying to get help. Her partner is in a treatment centre. She has four kids between primary and secondary school age.”

Sergeant Damien Galligan told the court that Tierney has 36 previous convictions including seven for assault and nine public order offences.

Judge Raymond Finnegan added to that when he noted Tierney had already received a three-month suspended sentence in Cavan District Court but that was activated on May 3.

“You put the matter back to monitor her behaviour,” Sergeant Galligan pointed out to the judge.

“Then she went off the rails again. So, it’s one step forward and two back,” the judge mused.

“It would be in the kids’ interest not to send her to prison,” Garrett Fortune suggested.

“It would be in her kids’ interest if she wasn’t out at 10:55pm on the night of 21st June,” the Judge retorted.

“OK, I have to be consistent, and I think it would be said that I am,” the judge continued before sentencing Tierney to two months in prison for breaching the peace. He also activated the three-month suspended sentence imposed on her earlier.

The charge of being intoxicated in a public place was taken into consideration.

“That’s a five-month sentence from today, so custody,” Judge Finnegan said to Sarah Tierney.

Recogisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.