Thief must repay €1,650 to cafe

A man has pleaded guilty to stealing in the region of €1,650 after being offered the use of a staff toilet at a small city centre cafe where he was having a cup of tea and a pancake.

The owners estimated the loss at €1,800 and the summons against the accused specified €1,500, so Judge Leo Malone split the difference and said the man who stole the money would have to come up with €1,650 if he wanted to avoid a jail sentence.

“He was given the facility of using a staff toilet and he abused that facility. If he pays compensation he will get a suspended sentence. If not, he will get a prison sentence,” Judge Malone said at Cork District Court.