Chloe Mitchell: Woman who vandalised memorial garden to Ballymena murder victim jailed for six months

Kathryn Barr (37), with an address listed as Larne Road in Ballymena, committed criminal damage at the garden which is a short distance from her home on May 10 this year.

She has been on remand in prison in relation to the case and appeared via video link at Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, on Tuesday.

Chloe Mitchell (21) was last seen alive in Ballymena in the early hours of June 3, 2023, and an extensive search operation was conducted to locate her.

Detectives investigating her disappearance later launched a murder investigation after human remains were discovered a number of days later in the town.

Brandon John Rainey (28), formerly with an address listed as James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering Ms Mitchell.

In a post on the 'Justice for Chloe Mitchell' Facebook page it was reported that items including flowers were pulled out and a solar light was damaged at the Memorial Garden. The page said the incident was 'disrespectful'.

A prosecutor told Tuesday's Court the criminal damage by Barr was captured on CCTV. Artificial flowers which had been placed in pots were scattered over stones and ornamental butterflies were also damaged.

When interviewed the defendant at first told police she had not been at the Memorial Garden but instead had been at Wilson Crescent and had lifted flowers and thrown them on the ground believing them to be dead.

A defence barrister said the defendant had no direct hostility towards the Memorial.

He said Barr has mental health issues and is "quite vulnerable".

The barrister said the defendant is adamant that she did not know what the Memorial was in relation to and it had been a "bizarre incident".

He said when legal instructions were first taken from Barr she was not even aware of her own date of birth.

The barrister said the defendant had not been getting access to benefits and had not eaten for a number of days at the time of the incident. He said the incident was a "one-off as a result of mental issues".

The lawyer said Barr has had time to reflect on her behaviour and "hugely regrets the impact she has had on the local community and directly towards the family of Ms Mitchell". He said the defendant is extremely sorry and apologetic.

The court heard the defendant had a record - 18 previous convictions.

Jailing the defendant for six months, District Judge Nigel Broderick told Barr: "Clearly there is an aggravating feature here. Not only have you caused criminal damage but you have done so to a Memorial Garden which was set up to honour the memory of Chloe Mitchell".

He said the defendant appeared to be suffering with her mental health and "may have been experiencing symptoms of psychosis and that may have formed some of the background in relation to why you would carry out this damage".

Later in the court the defendant was given bail for appeal of the sentence but there was no application for her to be released pending the appeal.