One of two women charged with falsely imprisoning a babysitter for three days after they accused her of stealing £1,200 told gardaí the alleged victim had admitted taking money previously.
Ms Karen Leahy (32), Patrick's Park, Clondalkin, and Ms Liza Brophy (33), Hartstown, Clonsilla, have pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms Charlotte Godkin and assaulting her in Sunbury Gardens, Dartry, on December 16th- 18th, 1998. Ms Leahy has also pleaded not guilty to causing criminal damage to Ms Godkin's clothes.
Det Sgt George McGeary read Ms Leahy's statement in which she said she noticed some notes had gone missing from her wallet on a couple of occasions.
Ms Leahy said she believed Ms Godkin had taken the money and started taking her handbag to bed with her as a result. She said her boyfriend also missed £200 but they said nothing to Ms Godkin.
Det Sgt McGeary told Mr Paul Coffey, prosecuting, that Ms Leahy said she put £1,200 in an envelope in her bag on December 17th. This was to be her budget for the next two weeks and was also money for her children's Christmas presents. Ms Leahy went to Smiths toy store.
She did not realise the money was missing until she got to the checkout. She rang a friend who was painting a room at her house, and asked her if the money was in the hall but it was not.
Det Sgt McGeary said Ms Leahy told gardaí she returned home and asked Ms Godkin if she had seen the money. Ms Godkin said no and Ms Leahy said she told Ms Godkin she was sure she had taken some money from her purse before. Ms Godkin admitted she had. Ms Leahy claimed the arguing continued all evening.
Ms Godkin had two suitcases packed in her room and Ms Leahy searched her belongings. She claimed she found some mail addressed to her which she had never seen. Ms Godkin said she had taken them because she was curious.
Ms Leahy said the following day she told Ms Godkin she did not have thousands of pounds in the bank and Ms Godkin said she would ask a friend to write a cheque to pay back the money.
Ms Leahy said she just wanted Ms Godkin out of the house and if this wasn't sorted out by the following Monday, she would ring her parents.
She claimed Ms Godkin left with a small bag and a suitcase and Ms Leahy told her she was sorry things had ended like this. She went after her in a car with Mr Kelly and saw her on the road but could not stop because of the traffic. When they turned back she was gone.
Det Garda Hugh Lyons read out Ms Brophy's statement in which she said she had liked Ms Godkin until Ms Leahy went on holidays and asked her to give Ms Godkin her wages. Ms Leahy left on a Friday and gave Ms Godkin £150 wages and £150 grocery money. She also bought £200 of groceries. Ms Brophy said Ms Godkin rang her the following Monday looking for money for groceries.
She never assaulted Ms Godkin when the argument arose. She never saw her locked in the bathroom and never went in to her in the bathroom. There was just a lot of shouting and she never saw any one else hit Ms Godkin.