A 27-year-old mother of two was sentenced to a total of five months in prison and fined €600 for a number of thefts from Castlebar stores.
It was outlined at Castlebar District Court that on August 7, gardaí received a report of the theft of a grey Ireland training jersey worth €60 and a Manchester United football top from Elvery’s, Castlebar. CCTV footage identified Ann McDonagh, 27 Castlegrove, Castlebar as the thief. Her residence was searched and the grey hoodie was recovered.
On September 17 at Casey’s CCTV identified three females enter the store and take items worth €46 from the shelves. McDonagh was one of the three women.
Inspector Joe Doherty asked if the statement of complaint from the store manager could be read out in court. In the statement the manager said that CCTV footage showed the women placing toiletries in their clothing and they were “having a good laugh” as they did this. The manager said that the women had been barred a long time ago from the shop, however they constantly came back and “hurled abuse at me and my staff.” The statement continues that the women say they are not afraid of the gardaí, when staff say that they will call them. “They roar and shout at customers” and “show off their backsides”. The women also say they “are going to get my staff when they go outside.” The shop manager said, “I’m at my wits end. They use bully boy tactics”.
Inspector Joe Doherty said that business people in this town have enough problems without these incidents and that it only take a few people “to give a town a bad name”.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and sentenced McDonagh to a total of five months in prison and fined her €600.
