Thefts to feed drug habits, court told

A Dublin mother and daughter were arrested for allegedly going on a “spree” of shoplifting and theft of purses from shoppers in Cork City to feed their crack cocaine habits at the weekend.

The older woman, Margaret Ward, was additionally charged with stealing from two elderly shoppers in Cork City centre at the weekend.

Garda Lorraine O’Donovan told the court two of the thefts allegedly captured on CCTV showed purses being stolen from a 79-year-old woman and an 87-year-old woman.