A heroin addict who cheekily took a suitcase from a shop shelf and then proceeded to fill it up with more stolen goods worth up to €300 was jailed for four months this week.
Emma O’Callaghan (36 ) with an address at 7 The Shambles, Tuam, was brought before Judge Mary Fahy at Galway District Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to theft at Dunnes Stores, Terryland, Galway, on August 30, 2010.
Inspector Mick O’Dwyer told the court that the defendant had taken a suitcase from the shelf in one part of the department store and began to fill it up with clothing to the value of nearly €300.
Defence solictor Sean Acton said that his client had lost everything she had including her home and her family because of her heroin addiction which has lasted most of her adult life. Mr Acton explained that O’Callaghan is currently in custody and is availing of the services provided by the Dochas centre and is on a methodone programme.
The court then heard that the defendant has 23 previous convictions, which includes a one month sentence suspended for six months imposed in July this year for theft.
“That [the suspended sentence] is still alive and she has re-offended... That theft was rather cheeky,” said Judge Fahy who added that she would take the defendant’s plea into account.
Judge Fahy then convicted O’Callaghan for the latest theft and imposed a three month jail sentence. The one month sentence for the previous conviction was then re-entered and is to run consecutively. Legal aid was also granted.
