Woman in court after 'water pistol' row in shopping centre
The woman appeared at Portlaoise District Court
A WOMAN who slammed her hand against a garda patrol car window was in Portlaoise District Court last week charged with criminal damage.
Before the court was 42-year-old Iveta Pacaja from Castletown B&B, John Street, Cashel, Tipperary.
She pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and to criminal damage at Laois Shopping Centre, Portlaoise on 17 June.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said that, at 5.50pm that evening, gardaí responded to a call from security about a youth who was causing a disturbance in the shopping centre.
When they were putting him in the back of a patrol car his mother - the defendant - came over and began roaring and shouting at them and “slammed her hand hard against the window of the patrol car”.
Sgt Kirby said that later, when Ms Pacaja attended the garda station, she was calmer and “acted in an adult manner”. She had a previous conviction for assault.
Asked by Judge Susan Fay what actual damage was caused to the patrol car window, Sgt. Kirby replied: “There was no actual damage to the patrol car, just that she left a handprint on the window.”
Defending solicitor Philip Meagher said that his client had been in the shopping centre with a number of her children. One of her boys, aged 13, had a water pistol and was squirting water at people.
The solicitor said: “The security staff called the gardaí and they arrested the lad. His mother was under stress and admits she behaved badly and unreasonably towards the gardaí. She did act in an appropriate adult manner when she called into the garda station.”
Judge Fay instructed Ms Pacaja to take part in a Restorative Justice Programme, remanded her on continuing bail and adjourning the case for finalisation to 15 December.
