Cookstown woman narrowly avoids prison over 'wicked' attack on house

A woman who was convicted of smashing the front window of the home of a woman and children, one of whom was a 10-month old baby has narrowly avoided prison.

Stacey Watterson (35) of Beechway, Cookstown, denied the charge but was convicted at contest.

During the early hours May 16, 2025, the victim reported being awoken by a loud crash and discovered the front window of her front living room had been smashed, and brick was located inside the property.

The victim checked CCTV cameras which showed a vehicle approaching very slowly before a female got out of the passenger side. She was then accompanied by a male who it appears threw the brick at the window. The pair ran back to the vehicle which left the area.

While police were unable to identify the male they recognised Watterson and she was arrested, making no admissions during interview. She also declined to name her accomplice.

The charge was originally denied at Dungannon Magistrates Court and a contest was heard during which Watterson’s position was described by District Judge Francis Rafferty as “breathtakingly untenable.”

Following conviction the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports in which Watterson accepted her guilt and a defence barrister noted she was “experiencing significant difficulties at the time including hallucinations and other things which may account for her behaviour.”

Judge Rafferty accepted there were issues however stressed, “I’m not going to allow that to be used as a shield for this kind of abhorrent wickedness. Plenty of people suffer the same difficulties but they don’t end up with criminal convictions.

“Of assaulting police, burglary, criminal damage, possessing an offensive weapon, riotous behaviour and threats to kill.”

He noted probation services, who authored the report, “are the experts and they too see the defendant has taken responsibility this has been difficult to substantiate due to her level of minimisation in terms of her role and intentions of the co-accused.”

He continued: “This case ran to contest which was hopeless. I accept there are mental health issues but do not regard them as significant in this disgraceful behaviour.

“The victim had a 10-month-old baby at the time and the fact she is no longer frightened now does not take away from how frightened she was at the time. She had to change how she and her children used the house.

“Their sense of safety was affected, and it was not simply a matter of repairing a smashed window. The emotional impact lasted well beyond that.”

The judge enquired why he should not jail Watterson to which the defence replied: “Her mental well-being has improved and there had been an almost five-year gap in offending. She is receiving counselling and supervision in terms of medication.

“This incident could be termed as an aberration and there has been some positive change.”

Addressing Watterson directly Judge Rafferty said: “You contested this in a quite hopeless fashion. Your performance was dismissive and evasive. You kept that up the facade by minimising your role to probation and sought to hide behind your mental health issues.

“This was a moment of wickedness in which she fled the scene with your partner in crime, no doubt thinking some score had been settled, or great larks had been had.

QTo you, that was just a passing fancy. For the victim, their home and safety had been violated, and I’ll wager you gave little or no thought to the consequences.”

Judge Rafferty ruled the matter merited imprisonment and handed down a term of seven months, however, in light of the gap in offending he agreed to suspend that for two years.

There was also a two year restraining order banning all contact with the victim.