A woman who “snatched” a one-year-old child at a west Belfast shopping centre has been given a two-year probation order.
The sentence was imposed on Noeleen Creen (38) for abducting the infant inside the Park Centre before his alarmed mother managed to grab him back.
District Judge Steven Keown said: “This could only be described as any parent’s worst nightmare”.
Creen, with an address at Andersonstown Road in the city, was detained during the drink-fuelled incident on May 20 this year which reportedly led to the shopping centre going into temporary lockdown.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard CCTV footage showed her initially trying to beckon the little boy out of one of the shops at the retail complex on the Donegall Road.
Creen then went back into the store and carried him outside.
The infant’s mother immediately pursued and stopped her about five to ten metres away.
Security staff called to the scene located Creen at one of the mall’s seating areas.
Defence counsel Aileen Smyth claimed it was inflammatory for the prosecution to describe it as a snatching incident.
“She did take and remove the child from the store while it seems the mother’s back was turned,” the barrister said.
“But the child was immediately (recovered).”
Stressing that her client acted while heavily intoxicated, Ms Smyth argued the incident was less sinister than initial media reports suggested.
“She remained in the area… and was at a loss herself to explain during interviews exactly what was going through her mind,” counsel submitted.
Creen was convicted on a single charge of child abduction.
Mr Keown was told the mother-of-four has struggled with long-term alcohol problems which have “fractured” relationships with her own children.
But after viewing footage of the incident, he stated: “She hangs about outside the shop trying to get the child to come out, and then goes in and lifts the child.
“I don’t think it’s outrageous to call it snatching the child out of the shop.”
The judge stressed: “There is a victim in this as well who also went through an extremely traumatic ordeal.
“One can hope it wouldn’t have happened except for what was clearly somebody under the influence of alcohol.”
Based on recommendations in a pre-sentence report, he ordered Creen to complete two years’ probation.
Mr Keown added: “Hopefully she gets the help that she needs”.