A young woman who attempted to shoplift a whole trolleyful of groceries by just walking out the front door of a supermarket, was given a month in jail at the District Court this week (June 10 ).
The court heard how gardai were called to Dunnes Stores in Montree, Athlone on March 7 to arrest Maitland O'Neill (22 ), from Meadowbrook, Willow Park.
“She walked through an unmanned checkout with a full trolley and made no attempt to pay,” said prosecuting inspector, Nicholas Farrell.
O'Neill was apprehended by store detectives immediately outside the premises and all €207 worth of groceries were recovered.
O'Neill, who has been in custody since May 27 on other matters from Dublin, received a four month suspended sentence in Athlone on March 11 for criminal damage to a car and for stealing a Crumlin children's hospital charity box with €200 in it.
Her solicitor, Ms Niamh McLynn, told Judge John Neilan how O'Neill had been “battling a heroin addiction” for some time.
“She says she was in the throes of that addiction when she committed this offence but she has been free from drugs since March,” said Ms McLynn.
She also explained how her client had committed this offence before March 11 and therefore the suspended sentence should not come into effect.
Judge Neilan allowed this and sentenced O'Neill to 30 days in prison, backdating the start of the sentence to May 27.
