A ten-month prison sentence has been imposed on a woman who attacked an elderly woman in a wheelchair, “sitting ducking,” and slapping her in the face when she was heading to lunch in Cork City earlier this year, reports Breaking News.
Chantelle Duffy, of Parkview Terrace, Wellington Road in Cork, entered a guilty plea to an assault charge when she appeared via video connection before Cork District Court today.
Judge Mary Dorgan displayed a photo of the woman’s broken face to Ms. Duffy (age 26).
Ms. Duffy expressed her sincere apologies to the judge for her actions during the April 4th incident in Cork City Centre, reports Breaking News.
She acknowledged that what she’d done to the elderly woman was “horrible.”
Despite having 33 prior convictions, including one for assault, Ms. Duffy acknowledged that this was a violent and totally unprovoked incident, reports Breaking News.
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Frank Buttimer, her attorney, claimed that his client was insane when she attacked the victim on the city’s Winthrop Street.
“She (Duffy) has a limited recollection of the event. It is not something she set out deliberately to do. In a psychotic state she lashed out. That doesn’t justify or excuse her behaviour. There is an addiction background. She is doing well in prison and its much improved,” reports Breaking News.
There is a history of addiction. She is thriving in prison, and things have greatly improved.
Judge Dorgan said that it was difficult to reconcile Ms. Duffy’s bad attitude with the person she was interacting with via the video link.
She described the encounter as startling.
“This was an elderly lady being wheeled in her wheelchair by a carer on Winthrop Street. She got a clatter to the face and bruising to the bridge of her nose and face. It must have been difficult for her. There is no doubt that the victim was frightened and upset. I am also thinking of the person pushing the wheelchair who was employed to bring this woman in to the Old Oak (pub) for a sandwich in the middle of the day. What could be nicer? And then this person not in her right mind gives her a clatter,” reports Breaking News.
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