A Limerick woman, with 108 previous convictions, went on a shop-lifting spree in Galway city stealing more than €1,700 worth of goods from a supermarket and a pharmacy in just one day, the Galway District Court heard this week.
The 26-year-old had been caught with booty she had stolen from Tesco, at Galway Shopping Centre, and had been apprehended soon after by gardai, however, not letting that dampen her spirits she then proceeded to steal from Flanagan’s Pharmacy in Shop Street soon after being granted station bail.
Mary O’Brien with an address at 17 Sharwood Estate, Newcastle West, Limerick, appeared before Judge Mary Fahy on Monday and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft on March 13, 2010.
Inspector Pat McHugh told the court that €1,347.22 worth of groceries and cosmetics had been stolen from Tesco and €399 worth of goods was taken from Flanagan’s Pharmacy. The court heard that at 10.20am gardai had been called to the supermarket where the manager pointed out the defendant who had filled a trolley with the goods and had left without paying. O’Brien was arrested and taken to Galway Garda station but was later released on station bail. However the defendant got in trouble again when at 1pm that same day, gardai were called to Harte’s Jewellers. The defendant had refused to leave the premises and when gardai searched her they found goods which had been stolen from Flanagan’s Pharmacy.
Judge Fahy was then informed that O’Brien was currently in Limerick prison on remand and due to appear at Limerick District Court next Tuesday in relation to a suspended sentence.
O’Brien was remanded in custody to appear at Limerick District Court on April 20. It is expected that O’Brien will then be returned to Galway District Court in order to deal with the latest theft matters.
