Stress led to a Mayo woman entering two department stores and stealing nearly €700 worth of clothing in just one day, Galway District Court heard this week.
Sinead Dempsey (36 ) with an address at Treen, Parke, Castlebar, Co Mayo, was summoned to appear before Galway District Court on Monday for the theft of clothing and cosmetics to the value of €344.83 from Debenhams and the theft of groceries and clothing, valued at €344.50, from Marks and Spencer, Corrib Shopping Centre, Galway, on December 16, 2010.
Inspector Brendan Carroll told the court the defendant entered Debenhams on the date in question, selected a number of items, and left the store without paying. She then entered Marks and Spencer and took items without paying. He added that all the items taken in the incident were recovered and that Dempsey has no previous convictions.
Dempsey’s solicitor said that she had been going through a tough time, that her husband had been laid off work and she had only been working six hours per week. The solicitor added that Dempsey, a mother of four, had been under considerable stress and upset at the time.
Judge Mary Fahy gave Dempsey a chance by giving her the benefit of the Probation Act Section 1 (1. ).
