Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 29727Breach of Covid regulations (leaving place of residence in contravention of regulations) · Co. Leitrim · 22 Jan 2021

Donegal woman sentenced for breaching Covid regulations in Leitrim

Patricia McCafferty, a 46-year-old woman from Bundoran, County Donegal, was charged with leaving her place of residence in contravention of Covid regulations after being found at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court at 11.10am on 22 January 2021 during the Level Five lockdown. She had no part in any case, was not on any court list, and had exceeded the 5km limit from her home. When asked to leave, she refused to give her name and address and began filming the sergeant on her mobile phone. She did not appear in court but wrote a letter, and on 8 October 2021 Judge Deirdre Gearty fined her €250 with leave to appeal to circuit court.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced8 Oct
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Patricia McCafferty was charged with leaving her place of residence in contravention of Covid regulations at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on 22 January 2021.
  • She had no part in any case, was not on any court list, and had no other reason to be in court.
  • She had exceeded the 5km limit from her place of residence in Bundoran by being in Carrick-on-Shannon.
  • When asked to leave the court she refused to give her name and address and started filming the sergeant on her mobile phone.
When
She was in Carrick court at 11.10am on 22 January 2021 during the Level Five lockdown.
Other details
She described herself as a citizen journalist but was not an accredited journalist.
In court
She did not appear in court but had written a letter to the court.
Sentence
  • Judge Deirdre Gearty fined her €250.
  • Leave for circuit court appeal was set at €100 own bond and €100 independent bond.
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatPatricia McCafferty was charged with leaving her place of residence in contravention of Covid regulations on 22 January at The Courthouse, Carrick-on-Shannon. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • whatThe defendant had no part in any case, was not on any court list, and had no other reason to be in court. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • whatThe defendant had exceeded the 5km limit from her place of residence by being in Carrick-on-Shannon. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • whatWhen asked to leave the court, the defendant refused to give her name and address. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • whatThe defendant started to film the sergeant on her mobile phone as she left the court. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • whenThe defendant was in Carrick court at 11.10am on the date of the offence. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • courtThe defendant did not appear in court but had written a letter to the court. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Deirdre Gearty fined the defendant €250. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • sentenceLeave for circuit court appeal was set at €100 own bond and an independent bond of €100. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • otherThe incident occurred during the Level Five lockdown. (leitrimobserver.ie)
  • otherThe defendant was not an accredited journalist. (leitrimobserver.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 8 Oct2021
    Sentencedleitrimobserver.ie, first report
    Woman broke Covid regulations by being in court

    Reports the sentencing of Patricia McCafferty for a Covid regulation breach; she did not appear in court but wrote a letter, and was fined €250 with leave to appeal to circuit court.

    convicted, Patricia McCafferty, 46, female, named, irish (judged from name)Patricia McCafferty