Woman 'dragged' from Limerick apartment during violent incident
Sabrina Lynch, who is pregnant, has pleaded guilty to a charge of false imprisonment following incident more than two years ago
A PREGNANT woman will be sentenced later this year after she pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, just moments before a jury was set to be empanelled for her trial.
Sabrina Lynch, aged 27, who has an address at Pier Hotel, Sarsfield Street, Limerick, appeared before Judge Colin Daly at Limerick Circuit Court arising from her involvement in an incident at a city centre apartment on March 28, 2024.
Previously, at a procedural hearing, prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan said it would be alleged that Ms Lynch stole the victim’s phone, threatened her with a hurley and assaulted her, causing her harm.
The victim told gardaí, after making a complaint, that she was in-fact assaulted, fell onto a table and was pulled by the hair, by Ms Lynch, who she claimed dragged her out of the apartment and into a car. She was then driven to the Castletroy area of the city.
The victim told gardaí that she was threatened with an implement, namely a hurley, throughout the ordeal.
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Prior to Ms Lynch entering her guilty plea, it was disclosed that an “essential witness” in the case - the complainant - could not be located by gardaí as she is currently homeless.
Judge Daly was told she was residing in Limerick at the time of the incident but has since re-located to Dublin.
Last week, the alleged victim was due to travel down for the beginning of the trial but failed to do so and was not present in court when the case was called. It was heard that for some time, she had been living in a tent close to Pearse Street garda station in the capital.
Gardaí in Dublin have since confirmed that the tent is now gone from its usual location and that several attempts have been made to contact the woman, all of which were unsuccessful.
The alleged victim was due to appear at Limerick Court on three separate occasions in total.
Judge Daly told both the prosecution and defence that the trial would be moving forward at the next hearing date - even if the woman was not located.
It was at the subsequent hearing that Sabrina Lynch pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment charge. Gardaí also confirmed they were not able to serve a witness order as the complainant has no fixed abode.
After Ms Lynch was formally arraigned and pleaded guilty, it came to light that she is pregnant and is due to give birth in December.
Having discharged the potential jurors, Judge Colin Daly set a sentencing date of November 24.
Ms Lynch, who was represented by Brian McInerney SC, was remanded and continuing bail until this date.