“Didn’t he look well?” asked Judge John Neilan of Alice Joyce, Farnagh, Moate when he questioned her about her husband’s appearance on TV’s Prime Time recently.
The judge asked the question after imposing a €200 fine on Mrs Joyce, a mother of 10 children, who pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods at Heatons on December 15 2006.
Gardaí were informed of the theft and identified Mrs Joyce from CCTV footage. She was in possession of €70 worth of clothing.
Mr Tony McLynn said his client was most apologetic, highly embarrassed, and ashamed. Money was somewhat tight at the time, he said.
Mrs Joyce was taken by surprise when Judge Neilan asked her a number of times if the word or nickname “Bumblebee” meant anything to her.
He went on to say that Joe Joyce, her husband had appeared before him previously and had also appeared on TV recently. He later referred to him as the referee in the Traveller fist fight featured in the Prime Time programme, distinguished by his distinctive moustache “like someone from Mexico”.
