Woman charged with graffiti offence at Leitrim Garda Station and abuse allegations

A Leitrim court has adjourned the case of a 59-year-old woman following incidents involving graffiti at a Garda station and alleged verbal abuse toward supermarket staff, with the judge directing that a probation and welfare report be prepared. At a recent sitting of the Carrick on Shannon District Court, the woman — identified in court as Anna O Donoghue — faced matters arising from two separate incidents in 2023 and 2024.

The court heard that in December 2023 graffiti was placed on the wall of Drumshanbo Garda station. It was outlined that Ms O’Donoghue had previously misplaced identification which had been recovered, and that there had been prior interaction with Gardaí in relation to the matter. The court was told she later attended the station and graffiti was put on the wall, which Gardaí subsequently removed using cleaning products. Full admissions were made in relation to this incident. A second matter before the court related to May 2024, when supermarket staff reported being subjected to verbal abuse. Details of the language or behaviour were not outlined in court.

Defence solicitor Ciarán White told the court that alcohol dependency has been a recurring issue in Ms O’Donoghue’s life and that there may also be mental health concerns. The court heard she has three adult children and that while there are previous convictions, many date back several years. One more recent matter in Dublin was also referenced.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham noted that alcohol appeared to be a common factor in the incidents and said supports may be beneficial. Rather than imposing an immediate penalty, the court ordered a probation and welfare report to assess what interventions or assistance may be appropriate.

The case was adjourned to July 21, with Ms O’Donoghue directed to engage with probation services in the meantime.

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