A TYRONE woman who appeared before Monaghn District Court due to a case of mistaken identitiy was told by Judge Sean McBride “you are showing your typical thickness from Tyrone” after she became expaspirated at having to pay a bail fee.

22-year-old Sarah McGrath of Donaghmore, County Tyrone was summonsed to Court when a Shelia McGrath from Monaghan, who shared the same date of birth as the Tyrone woman, was due to face a public order offence.

Judge McBride explained to Sarah McGrath that he could not process her application to have the case dismissed because it could only be done in the Circuit Court. He said that all he could do was bail her for a nominal fee and have the Circuit Court throw it out.

WHILE Judge McBride explained the situation to McGrath she continued to shake her head.

“You have to show respect for the law,”

Judge McBride said in a loud voice.

“My client beleves she should not have to be in front of court,”

replied the womans solicitor.

“I can’t help that – I can’t spoon feed people,”

said the Judge;

“€50 and get to the Circuit Court and it will be set aside,”

he added.

Again Sarah McGrath shook her head.

“Don’t shake your head, have respect for this court,”

the judge responded. It was then, when she intimated she did not have Euro to pay for the bail, that Judge McBride made the comment about

“showing your typical thickness from Tyrone.”

Later, when the bond had been paid he said he sympathised with her situation but because it was in the court he could not do anything other than refer the application to the Circuit Court.

“I sympathise, but the state will not offer any evidence against you. You are fully innocent,”

he concluded.