Woman jailed for attack on young girl who was put in headlock over confirmation necklace

A woman has been jailed for two years for her role in the “robbery with menace” of a young girl who was slapped, threatened with a stick, caught in a headlock and had her hair pulled before a confirmation necklace given to her by her grandmother was grabbed from her neck.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Natasha Morey (30) was with an accomplice in a wooded area by the Mardyke Skate Park in the city at around 3.30pm on September 3rd, 2023.

The women approached two 15-year-old girls and their slightly older male friend who had been innocently enjoying the sunny afternoon.

Detective Garda Patrick Houlihan said that the young teenagers were told that they would be given “safe passage” if they handed over money. The frightened teenagers gave the women the opportunity contents of their pockets which totalled just under €10.

One of the youngsters parted with her bus money. When she said that was all she had on her person the women insisted that she was lying.

Garda Houlihan said that one of the youngsters was tackled by the woman.

“She was grabbed and her face was slapped. She was threatened with a stick and a chain worth €300 was pulled from her neck. “

The injured parties existed the area. But the women chased the group, put them in fear and again threatened to “give them a slap.”

The youngsters gave a description of the suspects who were identified as Ms Morey of Liffey Park in Mayfield in Cork and her co accused Michelle Harrington (36) who has since been jailed for three years for her role in the offence.

Prosecuting barrister Emmet Boyle, SC,  said that Ms Harrington was the “main driver” in the daytime offence.  Ms Morey has 17 previous convictions. However, this is her first offence before the Circuit Court.

Defence counsel Seamus Roche, SC, said that Ms Morey was “very sorry for her involvement” in the case. He described her background as troubled and stressed that she fully accepted her part in the offence. He emphasised that Ms Harrington was “the main protagonist.”

“She (Ms Morey) is very sorry. She could have done more to restrain the other lady and she was involved herself.

The mother of three is on a methadone programme in prison arising out of her heroin addiction. Ms Morey pleaded guilty three counts of robbery.

Victim impact statements were handed in to the presiding judge. One of the girls told Judge Sheehan that she only felt safe with her parents and was “nervous” outside of the house. The court heard that the stolen necklace was given to the young girl by a grandmother who has since passed away.

Judge Dermot Sheehan said that the two women were “equally responsible” but that he would “reflect the lesser participation” of Ms Morey in the offence. He jailed Ms Morey for four years, suspending the last two years of the sentence.

Her accomplice, Michelle Harrington of Ravensdale in Mahon in Cork was jailed last June for her role in the offence. She received a sentence which was twelve months longer than that of  Ms Morey to reflect her greater role in the robbery.

The mother of four had 40 previous convictions, including counts for theft, burglary, endangerment and causing criminal damage. Defence Counsel Mahon Corkery said that drug addiction played a role in the “opportunistic” offence.

Judge Cormac Quinn said that aggravating factors included that the injured parties included two juvenile girls and the fact that Ms Harrington had relevant previous convictions.

In mitigation, the judge took into consideration the defendant’s addictions, the fact that there was no weapon, the guilty plea and that there was an expression of regret.