A WOMAN accused of snatching a pram with a two-year-old child inside at a Lake Macquarie shopping centre has fronted court for the first time.
Police allege the toddler's mother and members of the public had to step in to stop Windale woman Marianne Moroney from pushing the pram away on the afternoon of June 23.
A woman and her partner were shopping with their two-year-old and 10-month-old just after 1.30pm when 41-year-old Moroney, who was a stranger to them, allegedly tried to grab hold of their pram and flee.
The police case is that the older child was inside the pram at the time.
Moroney appeared in Belmont Local Court in person for the first time on Wednesday as per her bail conditions, after she was hit with three allegations stemming from the alleged attempted child snatching.
She was flanked by support people in court and did not have to enter pleas to charges of stalking or intimidating, affray and resisting or hindering a police officer.
Her defence solicitor told the court representations were being made in the matter and asked for an adjournment.
Magistrate Stephen Olischlager agreed to set the case down again in Belmont in September.
Police were alerted to the incident at the Glendale shopping centre, and officers at the scene were told Moroney allegedly "took hold of the pram" containing the toddler.
The prosecution case is that the woman tried to push the pram - still with the child inside - away, but was stopped by the mother and other shoppers before leaving the centre.
The ordeal allegedly left the mother and her children "shaken" but not physically injured, police said at the time.
Investigations led police to Moroney at a Windale unit about 24 hours later, where she allegedly resisted the senior constable trying to arrest her.
She was ultimately taken to Belmont Police Station and charged, then released on strict bail conditions, which were continued in court on Wednesday.
