Ballyronan woman pulled phone line out of neighbour's house

Forty-six-year Noreen Mallon from Lough Way, Ballyronan, had sentencing deferred until October 26 on charges of criminal damage and harassment relating to the incident on July 7 last year.

District Judge Alan White said it was sad that alcohol had brought her to this state.

In deferring sentencing, he said he was giving her a chance to show the court she could stay out of trouble.

A prosecution lawyer said defendant was in an intoxicated state when she refused to leave her neighbour’s address.

He said Mallon went up stairs to see the children before coming down again and sitting in the kitchen.

When the injured party went to ring the police, she pulled the phone line out causing £20 damage, he continued.

Counsel said police found Mallon “in no fit state”, and it was several hours before she could be interviewed about the incident. He said she told police: “I just want to let you know there is no call for this whole thing.”

A defence barrister said by her own admission Mallon is an alcoholic who had been responding well to treatment until “she fell off the wagon” last summer, however the mother-of-two was now a changed woman.