Mother of three receives fine for shouting outside Longford National school

A mother of three who shouted abuse at another person outside a national school while children were on their way to class was fined €350 at Longford District Court.

Zeta Keenan (31) of 37 Palace Crescent, Ardnacassa, Longford entered a plea of guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at Dublin Road, Longford.

Sergeant Enda Daly told Judge Bernadette Owens that at 9:30am on October 9, 2024 officers were on traffic duty to address congestion difficulties outside a National School on the Dublin Road in Longford town.

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The officers saw Ms Keenan exited her vehicle and went toward another vehicle where she proceeded to shout obscenities in an aggressive manner at another person. Ms Keenan was arrested.

Sgt Daly said there were a large number of people in the area at the time, many of whom were young children on their way to school. The court was told the defendant has four previous convictions, three for road traffic and one for theft.

Solicitor Brid Mimnagh told the court her client's behaviour was in reaction to the actions of another woman. Ms Mimnagh alleged the other party started shouting at Ms Keenan and had pepper sprayed her.

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The solicitor said the defendant was disorientated. Ms Mimnagh told the court the other person had no child in the school and had been there to provoke Ms Keenan.

“She accepts she did behave in the way described by the prosecution, but the other person started it,” Ms Mimnagh said.

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The judge was told that a fixed charge penalty notice was issued to Ms Keenan as a result of the incident, but it was not paid.

Noting the facts and the defendant's guilty plea Judge Owens imposed a fine of €350, giving Ms Keenan five month to pay.