A BENCH warrant was issued for the arrest of a Passage West-based woman following her conviction for assaulting three women during separate incidents in the town.

Cases against 22-year-old Denise Cawley, of Parker Place, Passage West, Co Cork, were listed for hearing at Cork District Court, but she failed to attend court for the cases. Her solicitor, Donal Daly, was present without the accused.

Judge Marian O’Leary heard evidence of four separate incidents including the three for carrying out assaults. The judge then issued the warrant to have the defendant brought to court to be sentenced.

Eve O’Sullivan, who is aged around 20, testified that she was having a drink at the Criterion Bar in Passage West on January 29, 2022, when Cawley came in.

“I knew there was going to be a breakout because — I don’t know —she has something against me,” said Ms O’Sullivan.

“I knew something was going to kick off.

“I walked to the smoking area. I felt someone hit the left side of my face.”

Ms O’Sullivan said she also said hello to a young man in the area and he said hello to her and that Cawley asked: “What the f*** are you looking at, girl?”

The witness said she replied: “‘I’m not looking at you, I am saying hello to my friend.’ 

"That is when she hit me in the face.”

On February 13, 2022, another woman aged around 20, Laura O’Donovan, was in Aldi in Passage West doing her shopping.

“Denise approached me in Aldi’s,” she testified. “She said she was going to take my head off outside, she was going to kill me. I said, ‘Leave me alone, Denise.’

“Outside I got a bang in the back of the head. She grabbed me by the hair. Workers and people doing shopping separated us… She [the defendant] was sticking up her middle finger.”

The third witness, Patricia O’Donovan, said that on May 8, she was shopping in Passage West when she saw the defendant coming towards her on the street.

“I didn’t get what she said,” said Ms O’Donovan.

“She lifted her hand and pushed me in the chest… She hit me in the chest.”

Judge O’Leary convicted the accused on all three assaults and issued the warrant for her arrest, on the application of Inspector Martin Canny.

The cases were investigated by Detective Garda Tom Delaney. Victim impact statements will now have to be prepared.