A mother who brought her daughter and daughter-in-law on a shoplifting spree in Athlone for Christmas was jailed for three months by an exasperated judge after a Garda inspector confirmed there had been “a substantial increase in this type of offence recently”.
“One wonders have they been caught every time? Very likely not so. She has now engraved this way of life in her daughter. She won’t do it again,” said Judge Seamus Hughes this week (January 25 ) as he sent down matriarch Rose McDonagh (34 ) from Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.
“Let the message go out to the McDonagh family, stay out of these two counties,” said the judge.
Inspector Nicholas Farrell had earlier told the court how gardaí had been called by the staff of the Tommy Hilfiger shop in Athlone Towncentre in the afternoon of December 21 to report the theft of three shirts worth €90 each.
After viewing CCTV, gardaí saw Rose McDonagh stuffing the three shirts up her jacket and leaving.
She was located shortly after at a car in Golden Island car park where she met with daughter Philomena (18 ) and another male relative, against whom charges had been dropped.
Whilst there the gardaí saw Golden Island security staff pursue Winnie McDonagh (18 ), the daughter-in-law, through the car park as she had just taken a tracksuit from Lifestyles store.
All goods were recovered, and all three women pleaded guilty, the court heard.
Rose had previous convictions in Ballina, Galway, Roscommon, and Ballyhaunis, whilst the two younger women had none.
Their solicitor, Mr Tony McLynn, explained how his clients had been visiting a relative in Dublin, had stopped off for a snack on the way home, and: “unfortunately, got involved in shoplifting”.
“It was planned in advance,” snapped the judge.
“It wouldn’t be as orchestrated as that. They didn’t come to Athlone to steal anything, it was more a spur of the moment thing,” explained Mr McLynn. However Judge Hughes was far from convinced.
“Do you think that when she met up with the two daughters - like any normal person Christmas shopping - would she have asked them how much they ‘d paid for their things, or would she have said fair play to ye for getting away with it?” he mused.
“Are you proud of them, Mrs McDonagh, that they’re following in your footsteps?” asked the judge.
“They have learnt their lesson,” assured their solicitor.
“Well, they’ve learnt their lesson in Longford and Westmeath,” said the judge as he fined the two younger women €200 each, before turning to Rose.
“I want to make your shopping trip to Athlone memorable. I’ll put a stop to behaviour they’ve learnt from you since the cradle,” he warned.
“And as for you? You’ve been in courts all over the country and treated with kid gloves. Well, I won’t,” said the judge.
“There’ll be no more soft touch. I’m sick to the teeth of it. Let’s stop this once and for all. Let them pay like every other family in Ireland,” said the judge before giving the two daughters until February 8 to come up with the fine.
“While your mother is enjoying the menu in the women’s wing of Mountjoy, you better have the money here,” he warned them.
Pleading for a non-custodial sentence for Rose, Mr McLynn said that: “she regrets her involvement”.
“Ah, please!” snapped Judge Hughes again.
“By coincidence or more likely design, your clients, on their way back from Dublin, conspired to help themselves to a selection of clothing and nearly got away with it,” he pointed out.
“Earlier the Garda inspector referred to a substantial increase in this type of offence over the last 18 months...she has now engraved this way of life in her daughter. Well she won’t do it again,” said the judge as he sent Rose to prison.
