Student with 'anger problems' attacked gardai

Andrew Phelan

A STUDENT with "anger problems" attacked two female gardai at Dublin's gay pride festival after she was stopped trying to gatecrash the parade.

Amy Cully (20) kicked and punched the officers after security stopped her joining in with the event in the city centre.

She had to be pepper-sprayed to subdue her before being arrested, Dublin District Court heard. Judge Hugh O'Donnell ordered a probation report on Cully, warning she will be jailed if it is not a favourable one.

Cully, with an address at Oliver Bond House, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to assaulting gardai Siobhan Frisby and Grace McCarry, as well as breach of the peace, obstruction and violent behaviour at Merrion Square Park on June 29 last.

Garda McCarry said she was on duty at the festival when she saw an altercation take place between Cully and security staff.

AGGRESSIVE

Cully immediately became extremely violent and aggressive toward the gardai when they approached and when they tried to calm her down, she kicked and punched them both.

The defendant had three previous convictions, including one for assault on a garda. Cully had written letters of apology to the gardai and the court, her solicitor Derek Burke said.

She was a "girl who has major difficulties with her health", he said.

Judge O'Donnell remarked that the previous incident Cully had been convicted over an "identical scenario".

Cully was attending college and "doing her best to deal with her problems".

Judge O'Donnell remarked that the prosecuting garda had not "laid it on at all" in the case.

"Clearly this was a bad incident," he said. "She deserves to go to jail."

Judge O'Donnell agreed to adjourn the case to December 11 for the production of a pre-sentence probation report.

aphelan@herald.ie