Judge tells Derry woman she is 'risking her liberty and her life'
Court hands down a suspended prison sentence and restraining order following a verbal row over a television remote
A woman has been told at Derry Magistrate's Court that by not addressing her alcohol issues she was 'risking her liberty and her life'.
Anne Marie Doherty (42) of Racecourse Road in Derry admitted a course of behaviour tantamount to domestic abuse and attempted criminal damage to household items on August 31.
The court heard that police received a call from the defendant alleging her father had been abusive towards her.
When police attended they were told that Doherty and her father had a verbal disagreement over a TV remote control.
The father told police he normally got on very well with his daughter but on this date she had come home with two bottles of wine and proceeded to be 'horrible' towards him.
He claimed that Doherty had hidden the TV remote and also that she had damaged cups and a plate.
The father said he left the property to get away from her.
Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that this was a 'particularly sad case' that proved that 'alcohol was no respecter of gender'.
He said his client's issues all stemmed from alcohol and said she had an appointment coming up in reference to a liver transplant.
The solicitor said that as far as he knew liver transplants only took place when the patient was abstaining from alcohol which obviously wasn't in this case.
District Judge Suzanne Rice said this had been a 'very unsavoury incident' which had caused Doherty's father 'worry and stress'.
She said that the defendant was not only putting her liberty at risk but her life as well if she jeopardise the liver transplant.
Doherty was given a two month prison sentence suspended for 12 months and fined £100.
A Restraining Order was also imposed.