A mother was caught at Dublin Airport using another woman's passport in a bid to leave the country and flee an "immediate threat" from an ongoing feud, a court heard.
Elizabeth Cash, 35, of Labre Park, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court on Thursday to attempting to board a flight to Canada on November 9th using a passport that was not issued to her.
The offence is contrary to the Passport Act, and she also faces a connected charge for handling stolen property. She will be sentenced later.
Judge Treasa Kelly heard the woman claimed her "husband had to flee the country", and she wanted to join him. However, issues arose when she tried to get a visa under her own name.
But Cash tried to "circumvent that delay" and got a visa by using the other passport allegedly belonging to a friend.
The court heard she "tried to pass herself off at Dublin Airport to board a flight to Canada" with another family member.
Defence solicitor Philip Hannon said there were extraordinary circumstances, and he pleaded for leniency.
He said the mother of four had never been in trouble before, but her husband already had to flee Ireland due to a feud, and there was an "immediate threat".
Judge Kelly noted her guilty plea but described it as a serious matter. Given the gravity of the situation, she said, she had to refer the case to the Probation Service for a pre-sentence report to be furnished to the court.
"I want the Probation Service to tell me this lady has an understanding of the seriousness of this matter," she told Mr Hannon as she adjourned the case.
Cash, who did not address the court, was remanded on continuing bail to appear again in December.
