A transsexual who had a sex change operation and now works part-time as a model fainted in court in Derry yesterday when she was jailed for six months for handling stolen goods.
Donegal-born Petra McCullagh (22), formerly Peter McCullagh, and Gary Brown (28), both of Rock Mills, Strand Road, Derry, pleaded guilty to handling £14,000 worth of stolen computer parts on March 9th. The goods had been stolen from premises in Carrigans, Co Donegal.
An RUC inspector told the resident magistrate, Mrs Bernadette Kelly, that when charged Brown replied: "I have no bloody money. I have a few debts and this should help me get out of Derry once and for all." Both defendants admitted the offence.
The solicitor for the accused, Mr Walter Hegarty, said: "From the probation reports, these are people with their own sets of bothers and problems which I do not intend to go into.
There are reasons which have led them to be here in court, in other words, the desperation of Mr Brown and the foolishness of Miss McCullagh, which have led them to appreciate the greater consequences of their own selfish needs," he said.
On hearing the sentence, Ms McCullagh fell to the floor, striking her head on a bench. Mrs Kelly granted Mr Hegarty's request that the court warrant specify that Ms McCullagh be detained in Maghaberry Prison's female wing.