Defendant given four months to make charity donation

A judge described the actions of a mother of seven’s as “totally unacceptable” when she hurled insults at a number of individuals on a busy Mullingar road.

Judge Owens hit out at Bridget Joyce (46), 10 Ennell Court, Mullingar, Westmeath, for her role in a public order incident that broke out at Green Bridge, Mullingar, Westmeath on May 5, 2026.

Sgt Orla Keenan said gardaí from the Divisional Drugs Unit were on mobile patrol at around 1:30pm on the day in question when they came across a group of people recording the public spat on their mobile phones.

She said an unspecified number of those present were observed “shouting and roaring” at one another with Ms Joyce being identified as leading those verbal exchanges.

Sgt Keenan said the accused was given three opportunities to desist from her actions and leave the scene under Section 8 of the Public Order Act but failed to do so.

She was arrested and charged with that offence and of engaging in threatening or insulting behaviour.

Louis Kiernan, in defence, said Ms Joyce’s behaviour on the day was not the “normal form” of a woman who had not graced the inside of a courtroom before.

He said the accused reacted on the belief that her young son had encountered unsavoury comments, but was accepting that her actions had overstepped the mark.

“She accepts that you can’t be doing that in a public place,” he said. Judge Owens acknowledged Ms Joyce’s guilty plea, but said the context of what transpired was “totally unacceptable”.

In view of Ms Joyce’s lack of any previous convictions, Judge Owens said if the defendant made a €200 donation to the Mullingar EYE project within four months whe woudl strike out matters.

The judge warned that a default option was a €200 fine for the threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour charge.

Ms Joyce was remanded on bail to appear back before Mullingar District Court on March 4, 2027.