Portlaoise Court: Hotel receptionist assaulted in Laois
Portlaoise District Court
A 48-YEAR-OLD Abbeyleix woman who grabbed the lapel of a uniform and pulled the hair of a receptionist at the Maldron Hotel in Portlaoise appeared before the local district court last week on an assault summons.
Liene Rudzite, Clontyglass, Abbeyleix pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place on 7 February.
Sergeant JJ Kirby told the court as Ms Rudzite was checking out of the hotel, she got into an argument with the receptionist, grabbed her by the lapel of her uniform and caught her by the hair. He said the defendant had two previous convictions.
Ms Rudzite’d barrister said that his client had not taken her epilepsy medication on that day and had become irritated.
He said she admits grabbing the receptionist by her lapel and is “very remorseful and embarrassed by her actions”.
He said that Ms Rudzite is now concerned that, if convicted of the offence, she will not be able to continue working at Dublin Airport.
He said: “She acknowledges that it was not acceptable behavior and the upset she caused to the receptionist, but there was no physical injury caused.”
The barrister said that Ms Rudzite would be willing to pay compensation, and given time would do so.
Adjourning the case to 12 May, Judge Susan Fay asked that a victim impact statement be available on the day and that Ms Rudzite have €350 with her “as a suggested start” for compensation.
