Courts / Dublin / Report
Woman wanted for designer handbag theft denied bail
Summary
Catherine Gaffney, 53, is in custody at Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Prison, after convictions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She is wanted in Northern Ireland for alleged theft of six designer handbags and an obstruction offence. Gaffney applied for bail in the High Court, arguing that the European Arrest Warrant should not preclude bail. The High Court refused, citing section 27 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003, which states that a person in her situation "shall not be remanded on bail or otherwise released from custody." Gaffney appealed to the Court of Appeal, but the three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeal. The Court confirmed that she must be surrendered to UK authorities upon release. The alleged offences involve Mulberry handbags stolen in July, August, November and December 2016, and an attempt to steal a seventh handbag and a purse on 10 December 2016, as well as obstructing a constable on that day.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman wanted for designer handbag theft denied bail. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- July 7 Incident
- November 19, 2016 Incident
- December 10, 2016 Incident
- January 2017 Incident
- 2021-01-15 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Outcome: Catherine Gaffney, with an address at Carraroe Avenue, Grange, Dublin 13, is in custody in the Dochas Centre at Mountjoy Prison as a result of convictions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and will be surrendered to the UK authorities on completion of her sentence.; Mr Justice John Edwards delivered the judgement of the three-judge court saying that section 27 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 is "explicit and unambiguous" in stating that a person in Ms Gaffney's situation, "shall not be remanded on bail or otherwise released from custody." Mr Justice Edwards, sitting with President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isob
Places mentioned
- Carraroe Avenue
- Dublin
- Mountjoy
- Mountjoy Prison
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- High Court
- The High Court
Topics
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