Row over €4.99 shoes costs Penneys €25,000

AN accusation that a schoolgirl had stolen a pair of shoes worth €4.99 cost a Penneys Dublin shop and its security company over €25,000.

Barrister John Nolan told the Circuit Civil Court that Sarah Coughlan, 14, had bought the shoes in Penneys in Henry Street, Dublin, in May last year.

At the till she noticed, after paying for them, that they were soiled and she had been told by the sales girl she could take another pair.

“She changed the shoes and when she was leaving she was accosted by a store detective and accused of not having paid for the shoes,” Mr Nolan said. “Despite producing her receipt for the shoes the store detective insisted on searching her bag and publicly accusing her of shoplifting.”

Mr Nolan said Sarah had then been taken by the arm and marched robustly to a basement room, where she had been interrogated and her phone was taken.

Mr Nolan said Sarah had been offered a settlement of €15,000 and he recommended its acceptance to the court. He said the defendants had maintained a denial of false arrest and defamation. Mr Justice Matthew Deery approved the settlement against Primark, trading as Penneys, and Federal Security Services Ltd, Swords Business Park, Co Dublin.

The defendants were also ordered to pay Sarah’s costs, approaching €5,000, and each of their own costs, which would bring their joint bill to over €25,000.