Drunken woman staggered on to road in Cork and shouted at passing cars to run her over

A 43-year-old drunken woman staggered out on to a road in front of passing cars and shouted at them to run her over.

Now at Cork District Court she has been sentenced to three months in prison for this and a catalogue of other offences.

Lisa Phelan of no fixed address pleaded guilty to public order offences arising out of this and other offences.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said, “On July 21 gardaí responded to a call about a woman lying on the road on Albert Quay.

"Garda Richard Caverly observed her stumble on to the road in front of traffic and engage in a threatening and abusive behaviour, swinging her arms at passing cars and shouting at passing motorists, saying 'Go on and fucking run me over'.

"As gardaí were dealing with her, she shouted, 'I will have you f***ing arrested'. This was in the presence of members of the public.” 

There was another disturbance on July 31 where she was in an intoxicated condition at Patrick Street.

“She was sitting on the ground outside Debenhams. She was highly intoxicated.

“Garda Michael Costello requested her name and she replied, ‘I’m not giving my name. Guess’.

“She physically resisted arrest and lashed out. She was handcuffed and taken to the Bridewell,” Sgt Davis said.

The same guard – Garda Costello - encountered her again in a similar condition on August 10.

“She verbally abused him calling him a ‘f***ing rat’ and told him to ‘f*** off’,” Sgt Davis said.

On August 8 Garda David O’Sullivan found her causing annoyance to members of the public at Patrick Street and she turned on him and his colleagues, calling them ‘c***s’.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused pleaded guilty to all charges at the earliest opportunity. He said she had difficulties with alcohol exacerbated by challenging experiences and that she was originally from Birmingham, came to Kilkenny as a child and more recently lived in hostel accommodation in Cork.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a number of concurrent sentences on the accused totalling three months at Cork District Court.