Mum denies she hit garda 'so hard her nose exploded'

Andrew Phelan

A MOTHER-of-two bit a garda and punched another in the face, claiming that the Garda Commissioner was her uncle and she would get the officers sacked, it is alleged.

Kelly Reid (27) is accused of hitting one of the gardai so hard on the nose that the woman officer was covered in blood and had to go to hospital.

It has been alleged that the accused was like "a wild woman" as she was arrested after she filmed and hurled abuse at an officer on duty in the south inner city.

ROARING

Reid, of Basin Street, Dublin 8, is pleading not guilty to three counts of common assault, having allegedly bitten Detective Garda Stephen Walsh at Ewington Lane, Dublin 8, and punched Garda Susan McLoughlin at Kilmainham Garda Station. She also denies failing to obey garda directions.

The defendant maintains she did not bite Garda Walsh and claims Garda McLoughlin assaulted her, forcing her to defend herself.

Garda McLoughlin told Dublin District Court she was on duty dealing with an abusive youth when the accused came from the direction of the nearby Luas stop with two other women.

"She began shouting and roaring at me to take my hands off him," the garda recalled. Reid was directed to leave the area, but she took out her phone and continued shouting abuse, Garda McLoughlin said.

"She began shouting that she was getting nine members of the gardai sacked and that I could f**k off and she would get onto the Garda Ombudsman and she would have my job."

Reid was again told to leave but she continued to be aggressive and agitated. When asked for her name and address, she told the garda the Ombudsman had told her "not to co-operate with the gardai and to record their activities".

The accused pushed the garda as she walked past and at this point a crowd of people were watching and filming on their mobile phones.

As she arrested her, the accused began to struggle violently. "She began screaming at me that Fachtna Murphy was her uncle and that she would have my job," Garda McLoughlin said. She had difficulty restraining the defendant and called for urgent assistance.

Garda Walsh, one of the assisting officers, said after he handcuffed the defendant, she bit down on his left hand. He said this caused him sharp pain and left red indentations on the heel of his hand, but did not break the skin or draw blood.

Ms Reid was taken in a patrol car to Kilmainham Garda Station. Garda McLoughlin and Garda Linda Loughlin decided to bring her to a cell, removed her handcuffs and each took hold of one arm.

LASH

"She swung a closed fist at my face and it connected with my nose and left eye, causing my nose to bleed profusely," Garda McLoughlin said.

It was denied by the gardai that Garda McLoughlin came into the station, said "come here you, you fat g** bag" and jumped on her from three feet away, causing her to lash out in self-defence.

Garda Loughlin said in evidence: "Garda McLoughlin's nose exploded with blood. I have never seen anything like that before."

The accused "kept reiterating that Fachtna Murphy was her uncle and that she would get us all sacked," Garda Loughlin said.

The case continues before Judge Catherine Murphy.

aphelan@herald.ie