22-05-2025
Woman (31) charged with stealing sex toys from Superdrug store
31-year-old Laura Clarke entered a not guilty plea to the single charge of theft
Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court from an inpatient rehab centre in Wales, 31-year-old Laura Clarke entered a not guilty plea to the single charge of theft.
Clarke, from Hampton Crescent in Larne, is accused of stealing 'two Lovehoney Excite toys to the value of £21.98' from Superdrug on 7 December last year.
Defence counsel Thomas McKeever indicated that Clarke would not be available for a contest for several months so District Judge Nigel Broderick asked whether she can even be released for a day from the treatment program.
Her key worker explained however the program lasts for 11 months and as Clarke is at phase one, 'she does not get out' unless she is with a staff member and even then it's for a short time.
Once Clarke gets to phase two, which will be in several months time, she can be released from the centre from 10am to 10pm but she must still be accompanied by a member of staff and then at the third and final phase, she is allowed to go home for the weekend.
'I'm minded to allow her to appear on the sightlink,' the judge suggested to Mr McKeever and the PPS and when they did not object, he adjourned the case for two weeks to 5 June 'to fix a date for the contest.'
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News in 90 Seconds - May 22nd
