Drunk assaulted teenage neighbour with leg of a duck

49-year-old Bianca Fahy found out she had Covid-19 a few days earlier, but removed her mask to cough and spat at Gardaí when they arrived to deal with a fracas between her and her neighbours at An Sean Bhaile, Doughiska at 3pm on February 3 last year.

Fahy pleaded guilty moments before her trial was due to begin before a jury at Galway Circuit Criminal Court last November to assaulting the 15-year-old girl, causing her harm, on that date.

She also pleaded guilty to two separate charges of assaulting Garda Seamus McDonnell and Garda Ciaran McCarthy while obstructing them in the course of their duty.

Fahy further pleaded guilty to breaching the peace, by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour at An Sean Bhaile and to being drunk in public on the same occasion. Sentencing had been adjourned in the case until now.

Prosecuting barrister, Geri Silke said the State was proceeding with the assaults on the teen and Garda McDonnell only, and that the pleas were acceptable on a ‘full facts’ basis in relation to the remaining charges.

Sergeant Grace Hennessy gave evidence the girl noticed Fahy outside her home punching a kick-boxing dummy, trying to knock it over. Fahy eventually managed to knock over the dummy and was in the process of trying to burn it when a young man came out of the house to try and stop her.

Fahy assaulted him and then turned her attention to his sister, hitting her in the face with a leg of duck she happened to have in her hand at the time.

The girl had to have her dislocated nose realigned in hospital.

When Garda McDonnell and McCarthy arrived a group of neighbours had gathered.

Fahy was running at them, roaring and shouting and trying to assault them.

Both Gardaí were aware Fahy had tested positive for Covid-19 a few days beforehand and while she was wearing a face mask, they repeatedly asked her to keep her distance from members of the public.

“She pulled down her mask and coughed at both Gardaí. She shouted at them she had Covid and continued to lash out, refusing to keep her social distance.

“Garda McCarthy had no choice but to restrain her and when he went to do so, she kicked his leg. It was bruised and tender for a few weeks afterwards,” Sgt Hennessy said.

Fahy was arrested and later denied punching the 15-year-old girl.

In her victim impact statement, which was read into evidence on her behalf, the girl said she no longer felt safe in her home.

She said she also felt self-conscious about her nose as it was no longer the same shape as before the assault.

The girl said she and her family still wondered why Fahy picked on their house. “I’ll be terrified if she doesn’t get punished for her threats,” the girl added in her statement.

Impact statements from both Gardaí were also read into evidence. Garda McCarthy said he knew before arriving at the scene that Fahy had Covid from dealing with her previously and both he and Garda McDonnell asked her to step back from them to prevent the spread of the virus.

“This was at a time when there was no vaccine and deaths were high.  She ignored us and ran at us, took down her mask and coughed and spat at us,” he said.

He said he had to put a spit mask on her before he and Garda McDonnell could arrest her.

Both Gardaí had to undergo two PCR tests and isolate from their families and work colleagues for two weeks.

He said they missed out on work also at a time when resources were stretched due to the pandemic

“This was a horrific experience and totally unnecessary. She carried out a serious assault as she tried to infect both of us,” he added.

Both Gardai did not contract Covid and were able to return to work on February 19.

In his impact statement, Garda McDonnell said he had been a Garda for 24 years and he knew Fahy through his work for over ten years.

On the day, she was highly intoxicated and would not calm down, he said.

He found the 14-day Covid isolation period particularly distressing while having to take two PCR tests wasn’t nice either.

He said Fahy’s behaviour meant he had to endure torture by having to isolate for two weeks on his own.

“That was two weeks away from my family and friends.  It was lonely and stressful and it brought the reality of the pandemic home to me and to my family.  I hope I never have to go through that again, it was a lonely time,” he said in his statement.

Sgt Hennessy said Fahy had lived at An Sean Bhaile for several years and caused a lot of problems there. She said she had since been re-housed in Knocknacarra on the other side of the city.

Fahy was ‘nice and easy’ to deal with when sober, she said, before adding she had 119 previous convictions.

Ten were for assaults, 20 were for thefts, six for criminal damage and six for obstructing Gardai. The remaining were for road traffic offences, public order offences and one for possession of a knife.

Defence barrister, Garry MacDonald said his client was apologising to both Gardaí and her former neighbours.

He said his client was “extremely entertaining and fun to be around” when sober and she had not reoffended since moving out to Knocknacarra.

Judge Brian O’Callaghan disagreed, observing Fahy was a menace while also noting probation deemed her to be at high risk of reoffending.

Mr MacDonald conceded his client had been a common sight in the District Court across the hall over the years and was well known to Gardaí but all of her offences were linked to her alcohol problem and she was a nice lady when sober, he said.

“She did punch this young lady with a duck leg.  If it wasn’t so serious it would be funny,” counsel said.

“She needs to smell the coffee at this stage of her life,” Judge O’Callaghan said before sentencing Fahy to two years in prison with the final six months suspended for two years for the first assault.

He directed she keep the peace for two years and come under the supervision the probation service for 18 months on her release from prison. She must also abstain from alcohol and drugs and undergo random toxicology screening as directed by the probation service.

The judge imposed a similar sentence on Fahy for the assault on Garda McDonnell, describing it as a particularly nasty assault. He took the remaining public order charges into account and directed Fahy was to get credit for time already served while on remand in prison awaiting sentence on these charges alone.

(Photo: The incident took place in An Sean Bhaile in Doughiska).