Mother of one jailed for two months on store theft charges

A 25 year-old mother of one was left without money for household needs, her barrister said when she appeared at Trim District Court charged with a raft of shoplifting offences.

Her representative explained that her drugs addictive partner took Philomena Connors’s social welfare money.

The defendant was out of that relationship and her life had turned round having got a council house in September where she and her son can live.

He submitted that the offences were of relatively minor nature , with the total value of the items taken less than €400.

He explained she hadn’t been present earlier in court on Tuesday as she was the sole carer for her six year-old son. She lived in Tallaght and hadn’t a car. She was very apologetic for being late

Judge Eirinn McKiernan noted that the defendant with an address at The Avenue, Belgard Heights, Tallaght pleaded guilty to a total of 11 offences, and no compensation had been paid and had taken four bench warrants.

The Judge remarked that the only appropriate sentence was imprisonment. She sentenced the defendant to two months in jail in respect of one of the offences. She took the other charges into consideration.

Sergeant Peter Clarke outlined that the thefts which occurred over an eight month period between October 2024 and the following April, took place at different stores mainly in Ashbourne, among which were Lidl, Daybreak on a number of occasions and Tesco.

The defendant stole assorted goods, including vegetables, food, a jacket, clothing and groceries. Most of the goods were not recovered

Sergeant Clarke said the defendant had five previous convictions, all for road traffic offences.

Judge McKiernan fixed recognisance comprising an independent cash sum of €500 for appeal.