Laois woman claimed wrong name appeared on court charge sheet
Portlaoise Courthouse
LYRICS from a hit song from one of the iconic music legends on the country music scene were mentioned at last week’s sitting of Portlaoise District Court.
The lyrics came about when a woman was before the court, where she told Judge Andrew Cody that the gardaí had got her name wrong.
When the court clerk called the name Joleen Harty from Woodlands Park, Canal Road, Portarlington forward, she told the judge: “I’m not Joleen Harty. It’s the wrong name on the charge sheet.” The defendant was before the court charged with the theft of nail sets valued at €12 from the Tesco Extra Store, James Fintan Lalor Avenue on 23 May.
When the court presenter Garda Sgt Kirby heard that there was a wrong name on the charge sheet, he applied to change it to the correct name of Joleen Ryan.
Agreeing to the application, Judge Cody then proceeded to say: “Joleen, Joleen, Joleen. What song was that? Who sang it?” to which Sgt Kirby replied: ‘‘Dolly Parton.” When asked by the judge whether she had sought advice from a solicitor on the matter, Ms Ryan said: “I took advice from my solicitor Aonghus McCarthy, but he is not here (in court).” She informed the judge that she is not working, is a lone parent and was applying for free legal aid, which was granted.
Judge Cody remanded Ms Ryan on continuing bail to the 20 July sitting of the court to allow her time to decide if she wanted to have her case heard in the district court or in the higher circuit criminal court.
