A seven month sentence was imposed on a woman who used a tin-foil lined bag to rob €630 worth of perfume from a city centre, however, it is now uncertain how much of that sentence she will actually serve after it was revealed that she had served only two days of a sentence imposed last May for shop lifting.
The Prison Service Authority was severely criticised by Judge Mary Fahy after she was informed at Galway District Court last Monday that Romanian national, Anna Babusoru, had been released after serving only two days of a two month sentence. Judge Fahy said that it was no wonder that the 22-year-old defendant felt that she had done nothing wrong as she had not been punished.
Inspector Michael Coppinger told the court that on September 2, 2008, at 10.30pm the defendant, with an address at 129 Dun Na Coiribe, Headford Road, entered Dunnes Stores and took one bottle of Jameson and four bottles of Hennessy, valued at €249, and was stopped by security. On January 13, 2009, at Debenhams the defendant put six bottle of perfume, valued at €630, into a handbag lined with tin foil. The inspector said that two males had been with the defendant at the time and that the tin foil lined bag was “to prevent the tabs being detected” by security alarms.
Garda Damien Gormley then produced the bag as evidence in court. The court also heard that the defendant has a previous conviction for theft for which a two month sentence was handed down in May 2008.
Defence solicitor Olivia Traynor acknowledged that her client, a mother of one, was facing a very serious matter especially having used the tin foil lined bag. In response to a question posed by Judge Fahy, Ms Traynor then said that her client had only served two days of the sentence that was imposed.
“This is the way this country is run. Someone in their wisdom in the prison service decided that two days were enough. The prison authorities are obliged to carry out the court order.
“This lady felt that she had done nothing wrong. Two days, and out she goes into a store in the city readily prepared with a lined bag,” said Judge Fahy who added that the defendant had been accompanied by two males showing that the offence had been “run like a business
