'You can't just do what you want', judge warns Cork grandmother after repeated refusal to wear masks
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The point-blank refusal of a West Cork woman to wear a mask while in shops, leading to a number of court appearances, will "only lead to one outcome" – a prison sentence, a judge has warned.
Margaret Buttimer, of The Cottage, St Fintan's Road, Bandon, appeared at Clonakilty District Court this week for refusing to wear a mask at Dunnes Stores in the town on February 12, and abusing the store manager who enquired as to whether there was a medical reason that she would not wear one.
The court heard the 66-year-old grandmother refused repeatedly to answer store manager Gary Emerson's queries, before telling him she only answers to God. Mr Emerson rang gardaí, with Ms Buttimer eventually becoming agitated and calling him an "asshole".
Gardaí attended the scene but Ms Buttimer again refused all requests to wear a mask, or provide an explanation as to why she would not do so, despite being required under the Health Act. She again claimed she only answers to God when asked by gardaí.
Ms Buttimer refused to provide her details, saying she had not committed any crime. When arrested and brought to the Garda station, she declined to put a mask on. Neither would she wear a visor, the court heard.
Ms Buttimer told the court she simply did not believe in masks, and it was her choice not to wear one. She said she was sorry for calling Mr Emerson an "asshole" and hoped he would "find it in his heart to forgive me".
Judge Colm Roberts said he was befuddled by the logic shown by Ms Buttimer, whom he said was a very pleasant woman in her demeanour in court.
Ms Buttimer seemed to be saying it was her choice not to wear a mask, but it was also her choice not to enter a shop if she did not want to wear one, Judge Roberts said.
While she was in many ways a nice pleasant woman, there was a deliberately defiant aspect to her behaviour.
"You can't just do what you want," Judge Roberts said, explaining that it was not a choice to forgo wearing a seatbelt if she wanted to drive, or she could not choose to walk out of a shop having not paid for goods if she chose to believe money was an evil concept.
She was totally entitled to her relationship with God, but not to the detriment of the rest of society, he said.
There was a certain element of enjoying the attention she was getting, Judge Roberts added.
He told the court he was considering a probation report, but both prosecuting inspector Debra Marsh and defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said it would be futile, as Ms Buttimer would simply refuse to wear a mask during any assessment.
Inspector Marsh said the court would be in the exact same position in four weeks if a probation report was ordered, to which Mr Taaffe concurred.
Judge Roberts put the matter back to Bandon District Court on Friday to be finalised for penalty, where there also similar charges facing Ms Buttimer.
He warned: "I'd like her to reflect on things, that would be useful. Deliberate defiance of the law on a consistent basis will lead to only one outcome, which won't be positive for you."