Cash-strapped mother stole groceries

A WOMAN from Schull who walked out of Lidl without paying for a backpack of groceries was given the benefit of the Probation Act after she made a €100 donation to the court charity fund.

Colette McCarthy, solicitor, appeared at Skibbereen District Court on behalf of the accused Faye Upton (37) of 18 Copper Point, Airhill, Schull.

Court presenter Sgt Tom Mulcahy said the accused went shopping in the store on November 24th last and paid for a trolley full of groceries.

However, the items that she had in her backpack were not paid for and the theft was noticed on CCTV by the store’s in-store security staff.

The sergeant said the accused was tracked through her vehicle registration number and prosecuted for the offence.

Colette McCarthy said the items in her client’s backpack included items like cheese, chicken, and teabags, which amounted to €37.27.

In mitigation, the solicitor said her client is a single mother to three, and this offence happened at a time when money was tight in the lead up to Christmas.

‘She paid for what she could pay for, and didn’t pay for the rest,’ said the solicitor. ‘She regrets the offence and is embarrassed by what she did.’

Judge McNulty said he didn’t want to leave the accused with a conviction for theft on her record so he applied the Probation Act instead.

‘The court wishes her well, but it is important that she knows she won’t get the same break twice,’ said Judge McNulty.