Mother sent kids to steal presents for Christmas

A mother sent her two young children into a supermarket to steal presents for Christmas.

Rose McDonagh sent her children, aged 8 and 10 years, into Tesco in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

The children placed two children’s tablet computers, valued at €315, into bags.

However, they were caught, but dropped the bags and ran out of the shop during the robbery on December 22, 2013.

Ms McDonagh was outside the shop waiting for the children and then sped off from the shopping centre car park.

The robbery was caught on CCTV and gardaí later interviewed the mother, Rose McDonagh, who admitted to the larceny.

Ms McDonagh, aged 32, who had more than 30 previous convictions, appeared at Letterkenny District Court.

She was also charged with stealing a purse from a St Vincent de Paul charity shop on September 18, 2014.

The court was also told that Ms McDonagh, of Lisfannon, Buncrana, was also charged along with another woman for stealing two supermarket trolleys of groceries from SuperValu in Carndonagh on October 17, 2014.

Gardaí said the women were found with the groceries in the boot of their car.

Judge Paul Kelly said he was very disturbed that Ms McDonagh had used her children to steal.

“The grooming of her kids to steal from a shop is something I find very disturbing,” he said. “What hope is there for them in not following a similar pattern to her own life?”

Ms McDonagh pleaded guilty to all charges.

Solicitor Frank Dorian said the theft of the computers was a misguided attempt to get a gift for a child at Christmas.

Judge Kelly adjourned the case until March 23 for a community service report.