Judge refuses bail so Kildare woman can get treatment for drink problem

A WOMAN facing ten charges of shoplifting – mostly cider – was refused bail after the judge felt that prison was best chance for her to receive treatment for her alcoholism. Appearing in Naas District Court under escort to plead guilty was Chantal O’Brien (25) with an address at Knocknatulla, Kilcock.

Sergeant Mary Meade outlined the charges facing Ms O’Brien from July until September. They nearly all related to the theft of her favourite drink from Tesco, Lidl and Centra in and around Kilcock, nothing of any greater value than €36, as well as two public order charges from 30 September.

“Gardaí were called to a scene in Kilcock and she was roaring abuse; she was unsteady on her feet, and told the guards to ‘f**k off’,” revealed Sgt Meade.

“You must be one of Bulmers’ favourite clients,” joked Judge Desmond Zaidan.

Sergeant Meade also revealed that Ms O’Brien was facing another public order charge after she was found covered in blood in Maynooth on 14 January, and she had four bench warrants issued against her.

“How sad when you get that addicted to alcohol, but she grew up in an alcoholic background,” said the judge, revealing that he knew the defendant’s family.

Ms O’Brien told the court that she was seeking treatment and “I’m waiting on a bed in Coolmine [rehab]”.

Judge Zaidan said: “These offences are at the lower end – there was no violence, maybe a little verbal.” Her solicitor David Powderley told the court that his client now has an 11-month-old baby for whom she wanted to be released and that “she will go and live with her mother in Ferbane, Co Offaly”.

The sergeant told the court how Ms O’Brien had 59 previous conviction, 12 of which were for theft. “These offences were when she was living in a caravan with no services,” said Mr Powderley.

Ms O’Brien herself then told the court how she had a recent miscarriage, to which the judge exclaimed: “How much can one human take?” 

A probation officer familiar with Ms O’Brien’s case told the court that the 11-month-old “is now in state care” and that the defendant had been in custody since 15 January.

“Are you going to beat alcohol or is it going to beat you?” asked the judge.

“I’ll beat it,” said Ms O’Brien forcefully.

“But if I release her, the temptation will still be there. She should be in a treatment centre, but unfortunately I do not have the power to do that,” sighed the judge. “There’s no in-house treatment available to me in Ireland, except in prison.” 

“She had to miss her appointment with Coolmine last week because of another court appearance,” said the probation officer.

“I won’t be taken for a fool, but Chantal has never had a chance in her life … I want to release her but there are no in-house places I can send her,” said the judge.

“These are very minor matters, and I don’t want to send her to jail for a year on them, but she’s still going to trouble shopkeepers, and the Tescos and the Centras,” he added. “If they see her coming back tonight it’ll be ‘here we go again’, but if I release her, it’s back to square one,” said the judge.

“Even after one week in Dochas [women’s prison], you look so much better,” commented the judge. “I’m going to remand her for another two weeks for a probation report.

“You’ve already lost one child."

Ms O’Brien pleaded with the judge to be released.

Judge Zaidan mused: “Would I be doing her a favour by releasing her? No. I’m giving you a chance, and will release you in two weeks’ time,” he said.

“Let your colleagues know the history, and see if you can get her into treatment,” he said to the probation officer.

“If I release you in two weeks’ time, I hope you don’t come before me again,” the judge told Ms O’Brien.