Cork woman involved in robbing teenager of Confirmation necklace and €1 in cash is jailed  

Accused and another woman demanded money from three teenagers sitting in a Cork park and then became violent and grabbed the 15-year-old girl by her hair and threatened her before taking a €300 Swarovski chain, court heard

Accused pleaded guilty to the robbery of the 15-year-old and two other teenagers. Picture: Larry Cummins 

A young woman with a heroin addiction was involved in the robbery of a 15-year-old girl of €1 and Confirmation necklace given to her by her late grandmother and on Monday she was jailed for two years.

It was agreed by prosecution and defence that 30-year-old Natasha Morey, of Liffey Park, Mayfield, Cork, was not the main mover in this and two other robberies committed at the same time.

However, Judge Dermot Sheehan said: “The two women involved were equally responsible but I will reflect the lesser participation of Ms Morey.” 

The judge imposed a prison sentence of four years with the last two years suspended in the case against Natasha Morey at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Her co-accused got a sentence one year longer for her role in the crimes.

Ms Morey pleaded guilty to the robbery of the 15-year-old and two other teenagers at the time. The sentence was backdated to June as she has been in custody since then.

Detective Garda Patrick Houlihan gave evidence of robberies carried out by Ms Morey and her co-accused, who was sentenced previously.

The victims were teenagers — two girls aged 15 and a boy who was 18.

The two women demanded money from the three teenagers and put them in fear before small amounts of money were handed over.

They became violent and grabbed the 15-year-old girl by her hair and threatened her before taking a €300 Swarovski chain from her, Det Garda Houlihan said.

Ms Morey’s previous convictions include counts of theft, threatening behaviour and assault causing harm.

Seamus Roche senior counsel said: “It was the older woman with Ms Morey who was the main protagonist in this. She is very sorry. She could have done more to restrain the other lady and she was involved herself. She regrets this. She is on a methadone programme.” 

The three counts of robbery arose out of the incident at the skate park at about 4pm on September 3, 2023.

The teenage victims had been together in a wooded area beside the skate park at Mardyke Walk, talking and enjoying the sun when they were set upon by the two women.

The 15-year-old girl, who only had €1 in cash — her bus money home — was caught in a head-lock and the chain from around her neck was removed. She had been given it for her Confirmation.