A 53-year-old woman who shone a laser beam into the home of a young couple living beside her and was convicted of assaulting them and two Gardai has received a four-month jail sentence. Judge Eirinn McKiernan suspended the sentence on Gillian Kennedy, an IT worker of Marshallstown,Kilmessan in respect of assaulting one of the Gardai who went to investigate the incident. The Garda had given evidence at a hearing at Trim District Court some months ago that the defendant shone a laser into her eyes. The Garda’s arm got caught as the defendant was closing a window. Her colleague was struck on the arm with a torch, the court was told. The case had come before Trim Court on a number of occasions since 25 th September and came before the court again on Thursday last.
Evidence relating to an alleged assault by the defendant on her female neighbour on the day after the laser beam incident on 29 th August 2024 was outlined by a Garda. This involved the throwing of a liquid on the neighbour as she walked the boundary of her home. The injured party believed the liquid “to be something else”.
The court was told last September of the background of a dispute regarding planning involving the defendant and the neighbouring couple. Court Presenter Sergeant Peter Clarke asked for a short adjournment on Thursday to speak with the injured party who had told him that she had no huge desire for the prosecution to proceed, rather that peace return to her life.
The injured party told Judge Eirinn McKiernan that there were boundary issues and would like a full wire fence to be erected between the two properties. The judge said that the defendant would be “foolish” not to consider what was suggested regarding the fence. She said that the court had monitored the situation following the 24 th August incident. A probation report had put the defendant at low risk of reoffending. A full apology had been offered by the defendant.
The judge said the situation was complicated by the outstanding charge of alleged throwing of a liquid. She said it was annoying and disappointing that there were ongoing issues. This young couple were entitled to live their lives in peace. The case was particularly serious and she had considered imposing a custodial sentence but she believed the couple would not like to see the defendant go into custody. She imposed a four-month prison sentence for the assault on the Garda but suspended it for 18 months on the defendant entering a bond to keep the peace.
