Passengers evacuated from bus after woman threatens to kill driver

Sunday World

29-06-2025

Fiona Higginbotham (28) pleaded guilty at a sitting of Athlone District Court
Bus passengers travelling on an evening service between two midlands towns had to be transferred to alternative transport in the aftermath of a vicious brawl that saw a 'highly abusive' woman issue a death threat to its driver before warning a garda she would 'smash his face in' shortly before spitting directly into the officer's face.
Fiona Higginbotham (28) The Failte B&B, Slane, Co Meath pleaded guilty at a sitting of Athlone District Court to assaulting Garda Darren Murphy in the wake of an incident on December 17 last year.
Higginbotham similarly entered guilty pleas to using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour as well as public intoxication after gardaí had been earlier called to the scene of a disturbance on board a bus at Fearmore, outside Moate, Co Westmeath.
Fiona Higginbotham
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Sgt Paul McNally told the court how its driver had been forced to pull in the bus moments before gardaí arrived owing to a violent struggle which had broken out between two women.
When gardaí arrived, the court was told officers found Higginbotham 'covered in blood' while sporting an injury to her eye and nose.
The unseemly nature of that exchange, the court heard, resulted in an ambulance being called to treat the accused for her injuries while its passengers were forced to disembark and transfer to another bus.
Sgt McNally said despite the best efforts of both its driver and gardaí to assist Higginbotham, the Meath woman's 'highly intoxicated' demeanour saw her adopt an abusive and unorthodox appearance, illustrated by her propensity to 'talk to her reflection in the window' of the bus.
It was during those unconventional mannerisms that Sgt McNally said Higginbotham initially told Garda Murphy she would 'smash his face in' moments before menacingly vowing to kill the onlooking bus driver.
Fiona Higginbotham outside Athlone Courthouse.
It was at that juncture, gardaí arrested the accused by placing her in the back of a garda patrol van ahead of her transfer to Athlone Garda Station.
During the course of that exercise, Sgt McNally said Higginbotham claimed to officers of how her injuries had been inflicted during a row with her friend.
Despite those inferences, the court was told how the accused began to resist, push and lash out at gardaí within the confines of Athlone Garda Station.
Sgt McNally said Garda Murphy, by that stage, had come to the aid of two other officers in a holding cell within the station by grasping Higginbotham's wrists in a bid to prevent her from hitting out at his fellow colleagues.
The court was told it was during those attempts, and as another garda was attempting to cut a chord from Higginbotham's tracksuit bottoms, that the accused suddenly came forward and 'spat directly' into Garda Murphy's face.
Those actions brought with it charges of assault and two counts public disorder, however no threat to kill or cause serious harm charge was brought against the accused for the remark she had issued to the bus driver.
Higginbotham looked on stoically from the body of the court as details also emerged of how she had been under the auspices of a two month suspended prison sentence at the time of her arrest.
That term, which was among her other 27 previous convictions, was handed down for a public order related offence at Tullamore District Court in November 2023 with its duration being suspended for a period of two years.
Tony McLynn, defending, corroborated the State's evidence in terms of the scuffle his client had 'came off the worse in' with her friend and which left her 'bleeding profusely' as a consequence.
That said, the local solicitor conceded there was little by way of an excuse for what unfolded on the evening in question and how its fallout culminated in the assault on Garda Murphy.
'Her reaction was inexcusable and she knows that,' he conceded, adding that Higginbotham had more than 'wised up' over the intervening seven months.
Mr McLynn said it was a contention which was borne out by Higginbotham's continued sobriety since and by her decision to enter a private alcohol detox programme at a Co Louth based clinic.
'Although she has obviously had a number of different events in her life involving court, (those) incidents have all been fuelled by her alcohol addiction,' he said.
Mr McLynn also reserved a special mention for Garda Murphy who, he said, had been more than acceptive of his client's contrition.
'He was very magnanimous about the matter and acknowledges that this lady is a totally, totally different lady off the drink and he accepted her apology magnanimously,' said Mr McLynn.
The court was told Higginbotham was conscious of the 'very unpleasant and rude' nature of her wrongdoing, actions which Mr McLynn added was met by his client's 'genuine remorse' in choosing to seek Garda Murphy out to personally apologise at a previous court hearing.
Judge Owens said Higginbotham had more than illustrated her desire to 'start on the right road' towards rehabilitation, telling her the challenge she now faced was to sustain that approach.
She consequently ordered her to undergo a probation report and remanded her on continuing bail to a sitting of Athlone District Court on November 5.