West Belfast: Woman accused of Park Centre child abduction

In interviews following her arrest the accused provided a “disjointed” account without a clear recollection of the incident, the court heard.

She claimed to have drunk half a bottle of vodka the previous night, visited a friend in hospital and then went to the Park Centre.

Asked to explain her actions, Ms Creen said: “Maybe the child was upset, I was comforting him.”

She denied trying to leave the centre with the infant.

Opposing bail, the detective claimed: “There is a serious risk to the public, this was a busy shopping centre where there are young parents and children around.”

A defence solicitor described it as a “very, very strange incident” all captured on 90 seconds of CCTV footage.

He said the initial kiss on the forehead of the other child had been an “act of friendship” and no complaint had been made by that family.

Dealing with the alleged abduction, the solicitor said his client was carrying the child towards the seating area, not towards the exit.

“She wasn’t attempting to leave the scene,” he said, adding that she was “adamant that she wouldn’t harm children”.

The lawyer told the court Ms Creen is a mother of four and self-described alcoholic.

Bail was denied due to the risk of re-offending.

Remanding Ms Creen in custody until 18 June, a judge ordered that a mental health assessment should be carried out before she makes any future application for release.