Psychiatric report ordered in hoax caller case

A Dublin woman who falsely claimed that a newborn baby was concealed in a Ballymun flat has been remanded on continuing bail …

A Dublin woman who falsely claimed that a newborn baby was concealed in a Ballymun flat has been remanded on continuing bail for sentencing pending a psychiatric report.

Ann Lynch (36), with addresses at Fortlawn Avenue and Whitestown Avenue, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty on two counts of making hoax phone calls on October 28th, 2003, that exacerbated a frantic Garda search for a newborn baby.

Ms Lynch also pleaded guilty on other counts including making nuisance phone calls to Santry Garda Station on July 18th and 19th, 2002.

Judge Yvonne Murphy is seeking a psychiatric report from Roselawn Clinic where Ms Lynch is attending.

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The judge also asked for a probation report as well as proof that Ms Lynch had taken steps to deal with her alcohol abuse, so that her case could be assessed for sentencing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on May 31st.

In October 2003 Ms Lynch made hoax calls to gardaí that sparked a three-day search and cost tens of thousands of euro.

She said she had given birth to a baby boy, wrapped him in her jacket, and put him behind a sofa in a flat in Ballymun. She gave an address for the baby in the Poppintree area, but gardaí found no such flat existed.

Forty gardaí were involved in the search, along with dozens of Dublin City Council officials, the Garda helicopter and detectives. Gardaí estimate they searched or called to around 2,600 flats in Ballymun.