Hairdresser who had scissors in bag was ‘out of it’ on drugs, court told

Sabrina Collins (43) was homeless and battling a “very, very serious drug problem” when she was stopped by gardaí in Clondalkin.

She was found with the scissors and a number of alprazolam tablets.

Judge Ciaran Liddy fined Collins €100 and imposed a two-month sentence, which he suspended for one year.

The defendant, with an address at New Oak estate, Carlow town, admitted possession of drugs and a pair of scissors at Bawnogue Road in Clondalkin on November 4, 2020.

Garda Nikki Burke told Blanchardstown District Court she stopped Collins around 10.30pm for the purposes of a drug search, as she and her former partner were acting suspiciously.

Gda Burke said Collins had a pair of scissors, and she could not give a reasonable excuse as to why she had them.

Defence solicitor Kate McGhee said that at the time of these offences Collins had a very serious drug problem.

However, Collins was now clean of drugs, was living in a house in Greystones and was attending college.

Ms McGhee said there was no comparison between her client’s appearance now and her appearance when she was arrested by gardaí, when she was “out of it”.

Ms McGhee said Collins was a hairdresser, and would have lots of pairs of scissors but did not remember having this pair nor the reason she had them.