A Markethill pensioner accused of stealing almost £9,000 from a Women’s Loyal Orange Lodge has been told her next appearance before a judge will be in the Crown Court.
Josephine Trimble, of Keady Street, is alleged to abused her power as a treasurer of the Anne Sinton Memorial WLOL 105 and stolen £8893.83.
The offences are alleged to have occurred between January 1, of 1993 and January 2, of 2019.
The 72-year-old appeared at Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Newry, on Tuesday for the purpose of a preliminary enquiry – the legal process during which a case is referred to the higher court.
During a previous sitting, District Judge Josephine Watters said she did not have “sufficient sentencing power” in the Magistrates’ court for alleged theft offences in excess of £5,000.
Judge Watters, at the time, stated: “It’s not purely a theft it does also involve a breach of trust, I think that little by little the PPS have raised the bar of what in cases of theft, fraud and money laundering must be to be dealt with in the Crown.”
Speaking on Tuesday, District Judge Peter Magill released the defendant on her own bail of £500 to re-appear for arraignment in the Crown Court for a date to be fixed.
