by Andrew carey
A PREGNANT woman who posed as a charity collector and stole a €600 from a pensioner has been been jailed for nine months at Limerick District Court.
However, Andrienna Williams (34) of Elm Green Close, Elm Park, Castletroy is to appeal the jail term after she was convicted in connection with 26 charges of theft, obtaining money by deception and having false permits for collection for charities.
In one instance, she targeted an 87-year-old woman who she had called to in the Farranshone area.
Judge Marian O’Leary was told that the pensioner had left her door open as she went out to her car May 12 last year.
Andrienna Williams called to her door on the pretence of collecting for charity and when there was no answer, she went in to the house and stole the woman’s purse.
The pensioner had saved €600 to pay for repair work and for home heating oil.
Ms Williams had made no offer to pay back the money.
Judge O’Leary was told of other incidents that occurred on Mulcaire Drive in Annacotty, Cherryfield, Oakfields and Thornfields in Monaleen, Shelbourne Road and in the Ballinacurra and Dooradoyle areas of Limerick on various dates in 2014 and 2015.
Gardaí had been alerted to a woman posing as a charity collector after people became suspicious of her identity documents.
Williams, who is 30 weeks pregnant, would enter the houses if there was no answer to her call and steal various items.
Judge O’Leary sentenced her to 18 months in prison, suspended the final nine months.
However she was later released on bail after appeal papers were lodged for the case to be reheard at the Circuit Court.
