A homeless Co Roscommon woman who is in need of psychiatric care slipped through the system since she developed personality problems at the age of 14, Galway District Court heard yesterday.
Ms Tina McGovern (22), of no fixed abode and Boyle, Co Roscommon, had recently tried to set fire to herself while in Mountjoy Prison, the court was told.
She was before the court on charges relating to the theft of tourists' belongings in Galway city, to the value of £1,070, the theft of a wheelchair from University College Hospital, Galway, and with assaulting a man at the same hospital on another occasion.
All of the alleged offences occurred between January and September.
Mr Sean Mahon, defending, told the court that the woman, who was in custody, was homeless. She had been sleeping rough at UCHG where some of the alleged offences occurred, he said. Mr Mahon said his client suffered from a personality disorder since the age of 14 and had left home because her parents could no longer cope with her.
"She has slipped through the system in receiving the necessary psychiatric care that she needs. I need to get a psychiatric report and I believe she needs ongoing psychiatric care."
Reading a report from the Co Roscommon probation services, Judge John Garavan agreed that she needed psychiatric help to rehabilitate her back into society.
Mr Mahon said the case had been part heard at an earlier date by Judge Mary Fahy in Roscommon and he asked for the matter to be adjourned back to her court. Judge Garavan said he was disposed to leaving the matter to Judge Fahy. He ordered a three-way psychiatric assessment and remanded her in custody to Roscommon District Court on October 18th.