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Judge fines mother-of-four after drunken row with gardaí outside family home

Summary

Leah O'Toole (29), of Holly Court, Ballybrack, Dublin, pleaded guilty to public order offences and failing to appear in court arising from incidents in Ballybrack and Dún Laoghaire in May and June 2025. The court heard that gardaí were called to the home of the defendant's mother in Holly Court at around 9.55pm on May 18, 2025, where O'Toole was kicking the gate of the property. When gardaí approached her, she began 'shouting and roaring' at them. The court heard there was a smell of alcohol from her breath and she was intoxicated. The offences before the court included threatening or abusive behaviour, intoxication in a public place and failing to appear before Dún Laoghaire District Court on June 4, 2025. The court also heard she was fined €150 at Bray District Court on May 26, 2025, and had another public order conviction in Wexford earlier this year. Defence counsel, Michael O'Brien BL, said O'Toole is a mother of four and that most of the offending occurred over the past two to three years during an abusive relationship which drove her towards alcohol misuse. The court heard she has also struggled with serious alcohol issues since the death of her father. Counsel said she completed a residential treatment programme last year and is continuing with aftercare services at Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Outreach Project. The court heard O'Toole had been previously placed on a one-year probation bond by Judge Anne Watkin in April and is engaging well with treatment services. Judge Conor Fottrell said O'Toole's behaviour towards gardaí was 'unacceptable'. However, the judge said he accepted she was going through personal difficulties and commended her for engaging with treatment. Judge Fottrell convicted and fined her €100 on the intoxication charge and €150 on the public order offence, giving her six months to pay. The remaining matters were taken into consideration.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Judge fines mother-of-four after drunken row with gardaí outside family home. Charges or matters: public order offences and failing to appear in court arising from incidents in Ballybrack and Dún Laoghaire in May and June 2025. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• June 2025 Hearing Or Sentence
• May 18, 2025 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 4, 2025 Incident
• July 2025 Incident
• May 26, 2025 Incident
• 2026-05-06 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Public Order Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report