Park Centre: Belfast women who ‘snatched’ child gets probation order

The court heard that CCTV footage showed her trying to beckon the boy out of one of the shops at the Donegall Road shopping centre.

Creen then went back into the store and carried him outside.

The boy’s mother ran after her and stopped her.

Security staff called to the scene found Creen at a seating area in the shopping centre.

The defence lawyer claimed it was inflammatory for the prosecution to describe it as a snatching incident.

“She did take and remove the child from the store while it seems the mother’s back was turned,” the barrister said.

“But the child was immediately recovered.”

She said that her client acted while heavily intoxicated and argued the incident was less sinister than initial media reports suggested.

“She remained in the area… and was at a loss herself to explain during interviews exactly what was going through her mind,” the lawyer said.