MY IRISH HERO
SHAME ON YOU, SGT PAUL KELLY
A 66-year-old grandmother who has spent a month in prison for her repeated refusal to wear masks in shops has received her seventh conviction for breaching the Covid 19 regulations.
Margaret Buttimer (66) of The Cottage, St Fintan's Road, Bandon, Co Cork today appeared before Bandon District Court in Co Cork in connection with failing to wear a mask in Supervalu Shopping Centre in the town on October 21 last.
Her solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said that whilst his client wasn’t admitting the offence she was also not contesting the evidence. He told Judge James McNulty that his client didn’t believe that she had committed an offence on the date in question by failing to wear a mask.
Dwayne Hunt, who is the manager of Supervalu in Bandon said that he was alerted to the fact that Ms Buttimer wasn’t wearing a mask at the tills on the morning of October 21st.
He went to the check out shortly after 10.30am on the day of the offence and asked Margaret Buttimer to put on a mask. She declined. They went outside the store and he again urged her to wear a mask for the safety of staff and patrons if she planned to go back in.
Whilst she wasn’t in any way verbally abusive, Buttimer informed Mr Hunt that she would be re-entering the shop without a mask.
SHAME ON YOU, PAUL GLEESON
Gardai were called to the scene and arrived within minutes. Garda Paul Gleeson again asked Buttimer to don a mask. She refused and was arrested.
McNULTY, THE NUT-JOB
No defence evidence was called. Mr Taaffe told Judge McNulty that the partner of Ms Buttimer was becoming increasingly concerned about her becoming “forgetful and doing unusual things.”
Report from a psychiatrist
A report from a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in the mental health of older people was handed in to the court for consideration. Dr Eleanor Mullan’s report indicated that there was a suggestion of a psychiatric disorder in the case but not sufficient current evidence to make a definite diagnosis.
THE ONLY PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER IN THE CASE LIES WITH THOSE THAT ARRESTED AND SENT THIS BRAVE LADY TO PRISON