A woman who stole €25 worth of perfume was sentenced to 22 months in jail this week (April 22 ) after an unfavourable probation report was submitted to the judge.
Dolores Greene (33 ), of 5, St Mels' Terrace, Athlone had pleaded guilty at a previous appearance to stealing the perfume from McSharry's Pharmacy and also of being found in possession of a stolen prescription on December 20 in Belhavel.
Greene had also pleaded guilty in November 2006 to possession of €1,150 of stolen jewellery at her address on October 24, 2006, the sentencing for which was postponed to coincide with the publication of the probation report.
However, Judge John Neilan was not impressed by the report, which he described as “unfavourable” and noted “a number of appointments [with the Probation Service] were not kept”.
As he had declared Greene's liberty to be contingent on this report when last she was before him, Judge Neilan sentenced her to 11 months for the perfume and a consecutive 11 months for the prescription.
He sentenced her to a further 11 months on the possession of stolen jewellery but ordered that be served concurrent with the 22 month sentence.
The judge set bail at €600 of the defendant's own money, along with an independent surety of €1,800.
When her solicitor, Mr Tony McLynn, began to argue this on Greene's behalf, the judge stopped him by listing two dates bench warrants had to be issued for his client.
“This lady does not respond to warrants,” he stated.