Enniskillen Court House
A WOMAN who tried to use a credit card that was stolen a short time earlier from a car in Maguiresbridge has been given a chance to stay out of trouble to avoid jail.
Michelle Finnegan (28) of Ballylurgan, Fivemiletown appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates court on Monday after being arrested by arrangement, on foot of a warrant, earlier in the day.
Finnegan had previously been convicted in her absence of handling stolen goods and fraud by false representation.
On March 15, 2016 police were called to Gardiner’s Crossroads in Maguiresbridge in relation to theft from a car.
The Mini Countryman had had its windscreen smashed and items taking from inside, including a laptop, Blackberry phone, Samsung phone, and purse containing various cards, including a Capital One credit card.
A short time later two attempts were made to withdraw cash using the card in Fivemiletown.
When police investigated two women, one of whom was Finnegan, were seen on CCTV using the card at the ATM.
Finnegan was interviewed in June and admitted to being one of the females, but blamed her co-accused. She also denied knowing anything about a car being broken into or remember being there.
Defence barrister Ciaran Roddy said Finnegan, who had relevant previous convictions, had never pleaded guilty to the matters and had maintained her innocence.
Mr Roddy said trying to take money out of an ATM without knowing the pin code and just shortly after the card had been stolen, was “utterly fanciful.”
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said the court had already given Finnegan numerous chances in the past, and pointed out she currently had a live suspended sentence.
Accepting Mr Roddy’s request to defer sentencing, Judge Ranaghan adjourned sentencing for four months, until September, and ordered Finnegan not to commit any further offences and to engage with community addiction services.
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