Laois woman climbed boundary wall and assaulted neighbour
Portlaoise Courthouse
A WOMAN who climbed over a garden wall and assaulted her neighbour appeared at Portlaoise District Court last week.
On 11 June last year, when the neighbour was just coming in home from work at 7.45pm, Bridget Nevin (48), Kilmalogue Park, Portarlington, “believing that her neighbour had made offensive comments to her, climbed over the garden wall, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the ground.” According to Garda Sgt JJ Kirby, Ms Nevin “pulled chunks of hair out of her neighbour before they were separated. When she had the chunks of hair in her hand she shouted at her neighbour, I have your hair you whale.” Sgt Kirby said there was no medical report to present to the court on the incident.
Defending solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that her client “has since left the area. She no longer lives there. She was evicted and was homeless. She is now living with a relative in Tallaght (Dublin).” Sgt Kirby said that Ms Nevin has six previous convictions, one for an assault in 2015.
“Life hasn’t been kind to her,” said Ms Fitzpatrick, “but she wasn’t kind on the day either.” Ms Fitzpatrick said that Ms Nevin intends to pay €500 in compensation to the injured party and had €200 of that with her in court.
Judge Catherine Ryan remanded the defendant on continuing bail to the 21 September sitting of the court and, in the meantime, instructed that she engages with the probation service and that the gardaí canvas a victim impact statement from the injured party.
