A YOUNG woman who stole a bank card from a car during a joyride to Clonakilty has been given an 18-month probation order.

The juvenile was before Bandon District Court for offences she committed just days before she turned 18. On May 27th this year, gardaí went to Fernhill Woods in Clonakilty after reports of theft from vehicles.

Investigations found that a Ford Focus had been stolen in Crossbarry on the night of May 26th, with the defendant being identified as a passenger in the car. Sgt Tom Mulcahy said that CCTV from a petrol station had shown two suspects, a man and a woman.
Sgt Mulcahy said: ‘They then committed further offences at the Fernhill Estate, including a theft from another car in which a bank card was stolen. A vehicle was also stolen from the estate.’

The woman was arrested on June 4th and taken to Bandon Garda Station. At the time, she admitted to being a passenger in both cars as well as to the theft of the bank card. An attempt to use the card was unsuccessful, and the cars have since been returned to their owners undamaged.

The court heard that the woman had five previous convictions, four for theft and one for failing to appear in court. The court also heard that she was 20 weeks pregnant with a child by the male who was the other suspect in the joyride.
Barrister Tim O’Connell, defending, said: ‘There’s a significant element, in that the other party was an extremely bad influence, a relationship she shouldn’t have been in. The relationship is now finished. I do think that this is a case where the court might consider the Probation Service.’

Mr O’Connell also said: ‘In the circumstances, I don’t want to use the word “roadtrip” but it didn’t seem to be going far from it.’

The woman addressed the judge saying she felt remorse, also saying that she had been in care for a while in the past, and was now living with her mother.

Judge Joanne Carroll said: ‘You’ve had an awful lot of support and you turned 18 on June 1st. You are going to have to develop an antenna when trouble calls and you’re going to have to go the other way. You have lots of potential and now that you will become a mother you also have lots of responsibility.’

Judge Carroll ordered an 18-month probation sentence on the condition that she fully cooperates with the probation service, attends all of her appointments, and engages in employment or training.

As the case came to an end, Judge Carroll added jokingly: ‘I don’t know what kind of job you’re interested in. Maybe you want to become a member of An Garda Síochána, or you might be interested in becoming a judge.’

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.