A MAGISTRATE has rejected a Donegal woman’s claim of financial hardship after she carried out a pre-Christmas theft spree across a number of shops in the Omagh area.
Geraldine Ward (51), of Lawne Park, Ballyshannon, appeared at Omagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where she was sentenced for five counts of theft and one count of going equipped for theft on December 9.
The court heard the matter came to police attention after staff at Sports Direct reported that Ward and a man entered the store, with the defendant placing clothing into a Sports Direct bag before leaving without paying.
CCTV footage showed the pair leaving the area in a Volkswagen car, which was later located in Carrickmore and searched by police.
Officers discovered a quantity of clothing believed to have been stolen from a number of stores, including Levi’s jeans, Calvin Klein hoodies and other branded items.
Further enquiries established that goods totalling £280.98 had been stolen from shops in the Showgrounds retail area.
In court, the prosecution said some items taken from Marks and Spencer were ‘fit for resale’, while compensation was sought in respect of the remaining goods.
Defence barrister Ciara Jones said Ward had been experiencing ‘financial and emotional hardship’ at the time of the offences, as outlined in a probation report.
She also pointed to a ‘significant gap’ in her client’s offending history, with no convictions since 2015, and said Ward was ‘genuinely remorseful’.
However, Deputy District Judge Austin Kennedy was not persuaded, suggesting the items were taken to be used as Christmas presents, given the nature of the goods and the timing of the offences.
Highlighting the distance travelled from Ballyshannon, Judge Kennedy described the offending as a ‘border hopping theft spree’ and labelled it ‘quite appalling behaviour’.
Ward was handed a seven-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £280.98 in compensation.