€900 bill for lingerie ‘lark’

Two women, still in a merry mood after a night out, stole €33 worth of lingerie for a lark.

But, to avoid a conviction, the pair will have to make a contribution between them of €900 to a court’s poor box.

One of the women agreed with her solicitor that she was wearing one item of lingerie on her head.

“It could have been on my head for all I know,” Mary Buckley, aged 53, of the Grove, Dingle, Co Kerry told Killarney District Court.

She pleaded guilty to stealing underwear worth €33 from Dunnes Stores in Killarney, Co Kerry, on August 18 last.

She said she was with her friend and they were taking a short cut to her friend’s house through Dunnes Stores in New Street “and we saw the lingerie”.

“We were a bit merry,” Ms Buckley told the court. She agreed with her solicitor Padraig O’Connell she probably had one of the items on her head.

Ms Buckley said she was on medication and should not have been drinking at the time.

Her friend Cathríona Clifford, aged 42 of St Mary’s Terrace Killarney, pleaded guilty to the theft of two bras, valued at €15 each.

Neither had previous convictions.

The court heard incident was “a lark” that went wrong and involved a total of €33.

It had totally embarrassed the women, the court was told and the women will now have to pay the court’s poor box €900 to avoid a conviction.

Ms Clifford told the court: “We were out the night before and we met up the next day. We were sleep-deprived and had alcohol consumed. We never intended going into Dunnes Stores.”

Both women said they had apologised and had offered to pay for the items and had never expected to be prosecuted.

The women’s solicitor Mr O’Connell said it was a “highly embarrassing” incident for both accused.

“It was a lark that went wrong,” he said.

Supt Flor Murphy said the items were recovered and were undamaged.

The items were undamaged even if they had been “air lifted”, Judge James O’Connor remarked.

He agreed to give both women the benefit of the Probation Act.

He adjourned the matter for the payment of contributions. Ms Buckley is to contribute €400 to the court poor box and Ms Clifford €500.

“The fun leaves it when you come into court,” Judge O’Connor remarked.

Ms Clifford said: “It won’t happen again.”

Neither woman was employed and legal aid was granted.