No one in their right mind would expect to get away with leaving a supermarket with a trolley full of unpaid-for groceries, was the defence put forward by a solicitor on behalf of a client who did just that.
Olivia Traynor, solicitor pleaded that her client had returned to the Lidl in Moycullen and compensated the store. She produced a receipt for €360.25 to prove this.
Judge Adrian Harris heard at Galway District Court how on May 24 last the defendant entered the store, collected groceries to the value of €360.25 and wheeled them out to an awaiting car without paying for them.
He was identified on CCTV and when Gardaí searched his home they found some of the stolen items but they were not resalable.
Ms Traynor pleaded that the nature of the crime showed they state of mind of her client at the time as he couldn’t hope to get away with what he did. He accepted that he was highly intoxicated on the day in question.
The court heard the defendant had 13 previous convictions, was not working due to an injury and fully admitted to the theft.
“Anyone in their right mind wouldn’t do this, what with CCTV and security these days,” she said.
Judge Harris noted that his last conviction for theft was back in 2013 and he had made good the loss to the store. He imposed a fine of €400.
