Cavan Circuit Court has heard how a Garda was spat on and kicked while executing a bench warrant in Butlersbridge.
36 year old Marta Hopkins, with an address at Tullybuck, Butlersbridge is charged with Section 3 assault for attacking Garda Rhona Bohan in 2018.
Garda Bohan and a colleague were on mobile patrol on September 3rd 2018, when they went to the home of Ms Hopkins to carry out a bench warrant.
They were invited indoors to explain the warrant, as the accused wasn’t aware of it’s contents and there was excessive noise outside.
The Court was told how Ms Hopkins appeared to get agitated as the situation was discussed and was at one point on the phone to her solicitor.
She exited through the rear of the property, and was followed by Garda Bohan.
Hopkins turned and spat at the Garda from about three foot away.
Garda Bohan was then kicked, scraped and punched a number of times while trying to stay upright.
Her pepper spray canister jammed and she called for her colleague who’d been at the patrol car querying the warrant, he was able to help and take the matter under control.
Garda Bohan was taken to A&E for scans, and displayed swelling, bruising and what the medical report described as a possible concussion.
In reading her victim impact statement, Garda Rhona Bohan described how the incident changed her life, with her losing the full range of motion in her shoulder, not being able to exercise to the same extent as before; and how she felt guilt and shame for not being fit to defend herself.
Defence council outlined that Marta Hopkins, who is a Polish national living in Ireland since 2006, has no recollection of the assault, which may be attributed to head injuries she received as a child and following a road crash in 2013, however she did plead guilty.
The Court was also told she’s been diagnosed with epilepsy and had suffered from other mental health issues.
It wasn’t suggested this justified the assault, and the Probation Officer found her unsuitable for community service – rather than unwilling.
Judge John Aylmer adjourned the handing down of a sentence until Friday morning.
