A woman who is nine months pregnant was warned to cease her Fagin-like methods with a young girl or face jail.
Before court on her 31st birthday (November 11 ) was Elizabeth Joyce, of MoyCourt, Moyvale, Ballymahon, Co Longford, who was there to face a number of theft and traffic offences committed between April and July in Athlone, Ballymahon and Granard.
However, Judge John Neilan was more concerned with her influence on a juvenile accomplice whose case he’d heard in camera earlier.
“This morning her co-defendant said to me ‘Lizzy made me do it’,” said the judge, in reference to the shoplifting of over €400 worth of vodka and whiskey from Dunnes Stores, Irishtown on July 27.
“This defendant is using the other lady to engage in criminal activity to her detriment and to the benefit of the Joyce family.
“She treats Athlone as her personal playground and uses other people for her benefit. This lady [the defendant] is making a mockery of court orders.”
Because of a number of outstanding warrants against Joyce, her solicitor, Mr Tony McLynn, sought an adjournment to January 20 “to combine all pending matters”.
Joyce had been bailed by Judge Elizabeth McGrath in Longford two days previously to appear in Athlone, after hearing how she had been stoppeed with absoutely no driving documentation in Granard on June 18.
Mr McLynn told the court how his client had been in a serious car accident in October where she injured her spleen and that she was nine months pregnant.
“She’s not be having like she’s four months pregnant,” said the judge.
“She’s not looking after herself”.
Juddge Neilan then set Joyce’s bail at €500 and warned her.
“If you go next or near [a named juvenile] you’ll lose your bail,” he said.
He remanded Joyce on continuous bail until January 20, but felt he had to warn her again.
“If you’re of a mind to think that because you’re eight or nine months pregnant I won’t revoke your bail, you’re looking at the wrong judge,” he intoned.
Joyce will also face charges of theft of a horse rug and shears from an equestrian centre in Ballymahon on April 25 and May 14.
