WOMAN (19) HANDLED STOLEN PHONE

Her then partner took phone a man dropped on Listowel bus

A YOUNG woman who took possession of a smart phone taken from a bus by her ex partner, and who pulled her own phone from her pocket when investigating gardaí asked as to the phone, received a twomonth suspended sentence at Listowel District Court on Thursday, February 6.

Natasha McNeill, with an address at 57 Wilderness Grove, Clonmel, had also failed to appear before previous court sittings, the Court heard.

She pleaded guilty before Judge David Waters to the charge of handling a stolen phone at Ballygologue, Listowel, on February 27 of last year.

Gardaí explained how Ms McNeill and a companion were on a bus from Tralee to Listowel on the date.

“The injured party dropped his phone, and her partner picked up the phone before leaving the bus,” Sergeant Kieran O’Connell told the Court.

A report of the incident was made to gardaí, who came upon Ms McNeill and her companion at Ballygologue. Sgt O’Connell said that her partner handed the phone to Ms McNeil.

“She handed out her own phone to gardaí when questioned initially, but later admitted the matter,” the Sgt explained.

The Court heard the item was recovered by gardaí.

Solicitor Robert Lee told Judge Waters his client had made no attempt to conceal the item, but had found herself with her then partner ‘ to whom she has no further connection’ as he handed her the phone he had taken from the bus, Mr Lee explained.

“She made no attempt to conceal it,” he reiterated.

Asked by Judge Waters as to her problem with non-attendance at court sittings previously, Mr Lee said: “Everything seems to stem from the fact she has had a very troubled upbringing...this offence magnified itself out of all proportion... she is not a bad person but succumbs to all these imaginings,” Mr Lee said.

Ms McNeill had two previous convictions for theft, the court heard.

In imposing the suspended sentence, Judge Waters warned her he would ‘unsuspend’ it were she to be convicted before his court again for any similar matters. The sentence was suspended for a year.