Woman caught walking on Portadown's Garvaghy Road wearing a Union flag headscarf is jailed for contempt of court

The 47-year-old appeared in custody in the dock at Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

-

-

Rachel Mulcahy of Bendigo Street, Belfast, faced two charges including jaywalking on the Garvaghy Road on October 27, 2026 and disorderly behaviour on the same date.

The charges were put to Mulcahy who was asked if she understood the charges. She asked what her name was.

Asked by District Judge Michael Ranaghan if she understood the charges, she said: “My name is HH Reverend Anna Christian and I understand the charges.”

District Judge Ranaghan, as the defendant continued talking, said: “You are now talking over me. You have been making considerable noise downstairs which interrupted this court and the progress of this court.”

A PSNI officer said he could connect the defendant to the charges and was opposing bail.

Police received a report of a female wearing a union flag head dress on the Garvaghy Road, Portadown. Police attended and observed the woman "walking in the middle of the road on the markings while shouting and waving her arms in the air erratically”.

They signalled for her to move off the road. “The defendant began to run off from police while shouting ‘Shoot me’,” said the officer. After she was warned about her behaviour she kept shouting "Shoot me” and other expletives.

Police warnings were ignored and a "large crowd” was gathering. She was put in the police vehicle and removed from the area.

"While the defendant was in the back of the police vehicle she continued to shout and yell from the police vehicle to passing members of the public,” said the officer.

He revealed the defendant refused to go home saying that once released she would return to the Garvaghy Road. She said she wouldn’t return home as it had a gas leak and wasn’t suitable.

The officer said she poses a risk to herself if she continues to go back there and "maybe cause a public order situation”.

The defendant’s solicitor Mr Philip Reid said the custody sergeant was minded to release her but Mulcahy “had her own views on that”.

“She spent the night in custody through her own doing,” he said, adding he had advised her on what might happen if she breaches bail.

When asked by the District Judge if she stands by her comment that she would return to the Garvaghy Road, she said she did.

District Judge Ranaghan refused bail due to a risk of public disorder given the current situation.

"This lady has indicated, in the eyes of the court, that she would go straight back to the Garvaghy Road posing a risk to other members of the public and posing a risk of public disorder. My hands are tied, Mr Reid, by your client’s own attitude,” he said.

Interrupting the District Judge the defendant shouted: “I have a right to walk up the Garvaghy Road. I’m a Protestant. I’m a British Protestant. Protestants have a right to march.”

She was told to stop talking. “You get an opportunity to apologise to the court,” said the District Judge. She responded: “I will worship Jesus Christ, Your Worship.”

District Judge Ranaghan refused bail saying: “I’ve given her an opportunity to apologise.”

She responded: “I have nothing to apologise for. I have a right to walk up the Garvaghy Road. I am a Protestant preacher. I help orphans. I do good. I am an ex-Catholic saved by Jesus Christ and I love it. If I want the IRA to shoot me and make me a martyr and to send me to heaven gloriously, then that’s my choice.”

The District Judge said that was a 22-second outburst which interrupted his court and warned her of contempt of court.

Telling her to speak to her lawyer, she said: “I’ll take a bullet for you, for your mother and your children but you are worth it.”

In a second appearance before the same District Judge, Mulcahy appeared in the dock represented by barrister Mr David McKeown who said his client wished to have an opportunity to speak in court but was unsure what she might say.

Mr McKeown said he had explained the ramifications of her actions. “It’s effectively a matter for her.”

The District Judge told the barrister he had done his job and told his client to speak. The defendant said: “Thank you most honourable and respectable and noble Mr McKeown.”

To the District Judge she said: “I demand an apology for saying ‘whatever your name is’ to me. My life is valuable and I am important Your Worship.”

District Judge Ranaghan said she was not getting an apology.

The defendant responded: “I’m a valuable human being. I have a £70,000 third level education. I am highly trained. I trained with the police. I trained in Trinity College.”

She also claimed to have trained with Sinead O’Connor and Christie Moore.

“I am a highly educated and articulate person and I would never say something like ‘whatever your name is’ to you. You are important, Jesus died for you and if I get the privilege will die for you too if you let me walk up the Garvaghy Road.”

Mr McKeown said his client has a long history of service to others in her Christian mission.

Sentencing the defendant for contempt of court, the District Judge said: “It was repeated. It was prolonged. It lasted throughout the morning. The court had to intervene.”

He referred to the noises emanating from the defendant which "interrupted the court”. While the judge was speaking the defendant continued shouting from the dock.

He sentenced her to four weeks custody to mark his displeasure at her “misbehaviour in court”. The underlying charges were adjourned to November 20. Legal Aid was granted.