Two women have been found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of falsely imprisoning a babysitter they accused of stealing £1,200 in cash that was missing. One of the women was also found guilty of assaulting the victim and pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to some of her clothes.
Liza Brophy (33), of Hartstown was remanded on bail by Judge Yvonne Murphy for sentencing on next Wednesday. Karen Leahy (32), of Patrick's Park, Clondalkin was also remanded on bail for sentencing on October 15th.
It was the third day of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and the jury deliberated for three- and-a-half hours.
The jury convicted Leahy by a unanimous verdict on one charge of assaulting Ms Charlotte Godkin in Sunbury Gardens, Dartry, on December 16th-18th, 1998 and on a majority verdict of falsely imprisoning her.
Brophy was found guilty by a majority verdict of falsely imprisoning Ms Godkin but was acquitted of the charge of assault.
Leahy had pleaded not guilty to causing criminal damage to clothes which were the property of Ms Godkin on the same occasion but pleaded guilty to an amended charge on the morning of the third day of the trial.
Ms Godkin told the jury she had started working as a babysitter for Leahy in October 1998 and everything had seemed to be fine. She had been in Rathmines on the afternoon of December 16th, which was a Wednesday, with one of Leahy's children.
After she returned to the house, Leahy arrived and Ms Godkin heard a discussion in the hall concerning £1,200 which had gone missing from Leahy's purse.
This money was to be the children's Christmas money and was left in cash in an envelope in Leahy's handbag. Leahy had gone out to go shopping but forgot her bag. She noticed the money was gone when she returned.
Leahy, accompanied by Brophy, accused Ms Godkin of taking the money and said she was the only one who could have taken it. Ms Godkin told the court there were several other people in and out of the house that day, including some decorators.
She denied she had taken the money and Leahy began screaming and shouting. She picked up a hammer and said she could "do a nice job" on Ms Godkin's legs with it. Brophy said she would put her through the window.
Leahy hit Ms Godkin on the head a couple of times with her fists.
Ms Godkin was kept in a spare bedroom at night and in a bathroom during the day while the bedroom was being renovated. She said Leahy kept the key to the bathroom.
At one point Brophy came into the bathroom and accused her of taking the money and hit Ms Godkin on the head with her fists. Leahy brought in some of Ms Godkin's clothes which she had cut up and told her to think hard about the money.
Ms Godkin said she broke the bathroom window and shouted to people passing by for help. She saw a man stop but did not think anyone had heard her.
She said Leahy's boyfriend told her to let Ms Godkin go as her family had phoned looking for her and the gardaí might come round. Ms Godkin was told she could leave and was given a suitcase and a bag with some of her belongings.
As she was leaving Leahy shouted after her that she could pick up the rest of her things when she returned the money.