Mother-of-one who punched garda in stomach during arrest gets three months’ jail

Georgina Murphy (31) was very sorry for her behaviour and had repeatedly apologised to gardaí for it, her solicitor said.

Judge Dermot Dempsey sentenced Murphy to three months in prison.

The defendant, with an address at Sherlock Park in Skerries, Co Dublin admitted wilful obstruction of a garda at Millers Lane in Skerries on October 16 last year.

Garda Jack Bennett told Swords District Court that gardaí were called to the scene at around 9pm following reports of a domestic incident.

Gda Bennett said that while Murphy was being arrested she struck him with a closed fist into the stomach.

She was highly intoxicated at the time, he said.

The court heard Murphy had a previous conviction for assault.

Defence solicitor Paul Molloy said Murphy, a mother of one, lived in Skerries with her mother and brother, and this incident arose out of a disagreement with her brother.

Mr Molloy said the defendant had too much to drink and could not really remember what had happened.

She accepted the garda’s evidence and was very contrite, realising her behaviour was out of order, he said.

Mr Molloy said Murphy, who was unemployed and on social welfare, had not been drinking since and asked the judge to be as lenient as possible.