Enniskeane factory worker stole three bags of lamb fat mix

A 53-YEAR old factory worker from Enniskeane who stole three bags of lamb fat mix worth €40 from a supermarket, was ordered to donate €500 to the court poor box. 

Con Cronin, Aherlick, Enniskeane, pleaded guilty to the offence at a recent sitting of Bantry District Court. 

Supt Brendan Fogarty told the court that the defendant was charged with two offences on two different occasions. The first offence was on August 19th when the defendant paid for five bags of lamb fat mix at Cronin’s Supermarket in Ballylickey but put six bags into his car. 

On the second occasion on August 27th the defendant paid for three bags of lamb fat mix but put five bags into his car. 

The court was told that Mr Cronin was observed taking the extra bags of feed on the two occasions and he admitted it and said he made a mistake.

Solicitor Ray Hennessy said his client is a married man and a hard worker and these two incidents were ‘like a thunderbolt for him.’

‘He can’t explain why he did it and he did apologise to the owners of the supermarket and he even offered to compensate for the bags but they refused his offer,’ said Mr Hennessy.

‘He is most unlikely to re-offend and it was the biggest surprise of my life when I heard about his offences and I think it will never happen again. 

‘This is his first ever time in court and he has a good track record and a good work ethic,’ the solicitor told the court.

Judge James McNulty said it was a breach of trust on the part of Mr Cronin but he said he would not give him a conviction. Judge McNulty ordered Mr Cronin to make a donation of €500 to the court’s poor box and enter a probation bond of €1,000 with no cash required on a conditional discharge of three years. 

Mr Cronin was told to make the cheque payable to Cork County Council for a public works project, within 28 days.