Woman arrested in Cork after drunken incident gave her name as 'Mona Lisa Margaret'

A woman punched a garda to the side of his face during a drunken incident and when arrested after another drunken incident and asked for her name she replied that it was “Mona Lisa Margaret.” And she dropped her pants and exposed her buttocks to the arresting garda.

This woman - Lisa Phelan of no fixed address – pleaded guilty to a variety of charges, including assault on the guard and failing to give her correct name and address when required.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a total jail term of three months on the accused and required her to engage with the probation service on her release from prison.

Sergeant Pat Lyons outlined the background to the behaviour of the 44-year-old woman in various incidents.

“On August 8, 2023, gardaí saw Lisa Phelan causing annoyance to the public on St. Patrick’s Street. She became aggressive and abusive to the gardaí.

“While being arrested she punched Garda Mick Costello once to the right cheek. Pepper spray had to be deployed to effect an arrest,” Sgt. Lyons said.

On September 19, 2023, there were reports of her annoying staff and customers at Oliver Plunkett Street and Cornmarket Street.

“Garda Kevin O’Neill approached her and informed her of her arrest. She immediately dropped her trousers exposing her buttocks. The street was very busy – in the early afternoon – when the city centre had a lot of people including a lot of school children.

“While details were initially demanded she gave a false name – Mona Lisa Margaret.

“When she was released from garda custody at the Bridewell she went across the road to where a marked garda van was parked and she jumped on the bonnet, shoved her torn charge sheet and bail bond which she had just received behind the wipers. 

She then threw a traffic cone at the front of the van,” Sgt Lyons said.

In further incidents in September and October, 2023, she stole some food from the deli counter at Dunnes on Merchants Quay, she was drunk and a danger at Marlboro Street and in another incident at Oliver Plunkett Street, she was waving a wine glass around as she was clearly under the influence of intoxicants.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said that while she did not give her full details, as it happened the name on her birth cert is as she described them. He said she was addressing her addiction issues while in prison.