Woman jailed for false imprisonment of babysitter

A woman has been sentenced to three months imprisonment by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the false imprisonment of a babysitter she had accused of stealing £1200.

Liza Brophy (33), Hartstown, Dublin, had been on bail since July 4 when she had been found guilty by a jury. Karen Leahy (32), Patricks Park, Clondalkin, who was also found guilty of falsely imprisoning the babysitter will be sentenced on October 15.

Both women had been convicted of falsely imprisoning Charlotte Godkin who had been babysitting for Leahy at Sunbury Gardens, Dartry, Dublin in December 1998. Leahy was also convicted of having assaulted Ms Godkin.

Detective Sergeant George McGreary told prosecuting counsel, Mr Paul Coffey BL, that Brophy had worked with Leahy in an escort agency but Brophy denied this and Judge Yvonne Murphy said there was no evidence to support the claim.

The court had heard that Ms Godkin had started working as a babysitter for Leahy in October 1998 and everything seemed to be fine.

She had been in Rathmines in the afternoon of December 16, 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 £1200 which had gone missing from Leahy's purse.

This money was to have been the children's Christmas money and had been left in cash in an envelope in Leahy's handbag.

Leahy had gone out to go shopping but had forgotten her bag and had noticed the money missing when she returned.

Leahy, accompanied by Brophy, had 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 had started screaming and shouting.

She had picked up a hammer and had threatened to "do a nice job" on her legs.

Brophy had said she would put Ms Godkin "through the window".

Leahy had hit Ms Godkin on the head a couple of times with her fists.

Judge Murphy had heard that Ms Godkin had been kept in a spare bedroom at night and in a bathroom during the day. .

At one point Brophy had entered the bathroom accusing her of having taken the money.

Leahy had brought in some of Ms Godkin's clothes which she had cut up and told her to think hard about the money.

Ms Godkin had earlier told the court she had broken the bathroom window and shouted to passers-by for help.

She said Leahy's boyfriend had told Leahy to release her as her family had phoned looking for her and the gardai might come round.

Ms Godkin was told she could leave and had been given a suitcase and a bag with some of her

belongings.

Judge Murphy said the appropriate sentence was nine months but she was taking into account an offer of €5000 to Ms Godkin as compensation, Brophy's diabetes and her young dependant son.