JACQUELINE O’NEIL JAILS IN DUNDEE FOR RECKLESSLY INJURING BOY WITH INFECTED NEEDLE
In November 2016, a disturbing incident unfolded in Dundee involving Jacqueline O’Neil, a woman living in the city who was found guilty of endangering a young boy’s health through reckless and culpable conduct.The case, heard at Dundee Sheriff Court, revealed a troubling episode where O’Neil, who is HIV positive, deliberately pricked a 12-year-old boy with a syringe filled with infected bodily fluids.
According to court proceedings, the incident occurred at O’Neil’s residence in Dundee after the boy, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, visited her home accompanied by a relative.
The boy testified during the hearing, describing the scene he encountered upon arrival.
He stated that O’Neil appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was surrounded by drug paraphernalia in her living room.
He recounted seeing her with a syringe stuck in her leg, which raised immediate concerns.
O’Neil, who also gave evidence via a CCTV link, admitted to having taken heroin but denied any malicious intent.
She claimed that the boy had “totally fabricated” the circumstances surrounding the incident and accused him of lying.
The boy explained that he had taken a foil wrap containing heroin and had flushed it down the toilet to dispose of it.
He further described how O’Neil attempted to physically prevent him from doing so, trying to slap the foil out of his hand.
He said that during this confrontation, a needle was left on a pillowcase, and when he returned, O’Neil was waving it around.
He recounted that the needle struck his hand, and it was so deep that he had to physically remove it himself before leaving the scene.
The boy’s account was supported by his testimony that he saw a syringe with a blood-filled barrel and believed it contained heroin.
He described how he tried to leave the premises after the incident.
O’Neil’s version of events was markedly different.
She claimed that she was attempting to protect the boy when he was pricked by the needle.
According to her, the needle was handed to the boy by another adult, and she was trying to take it from him when he was accidentally punctured.
She insisted that her actions were not malicious but protective.
Prosecutor Saima Rasheed questioned O’Neil’s account, emphasizing the evidence that the boy had a puncture wound with a needle barrel full of blood, and that he believed it contained heroin.
Rasheed pointed out that the boy had tried to flush the heroin wrap down the toilet and that O’Neil was waving the needle around during the altercation.
She argued that the boy was struck by the needle and had to remove it himself, which O’Neil dismissed as fabrication, claiming the boy was lying.
Despite O’Neil’s denial, the sheriff found the boy’s testimony to be credible and dismissed her account as untrustworthy.
The court noted that the boy had not suffered any lasting harm or infection from the incident.
O’Neil, aged 32 and residing on Gourdie Place in Dundee, pleaded guilty to charges of culpable and reckless conduct as well as assault.
Her defense solicitor, Gary McIlravey, highlighted the social stigma she faces, describing her as “some kind of monster” in the public eye.
He also mentioned that O’Neil had been assaulted in the street by two women and that her appearance makes her easily recognizable.
McIlravey suggested that her declining lifestyle contributed to the incident and implied that her circumstances could have been different had she not fallen into drug use.
In sentencing, Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC emphasized the seriousness of the offense, stating, “This is a very serious charge.
You put the boy’s health at risk by your reckless conduct.
It is a very serious matter indeed.” She pointed out that O’Neil’s drug use was a contributing factor and that her denial of how the puncture occurred was less credible than the boy’s account.
The sheriff concluded that only custody was appropriate, sentencing O’Neil to 16 months in prison for her actions, which she described as putting the young boy in significant danger.
