Woman escapes jail term for stealing from company safe

A former Superquinn employee who was arrested in Dublin Airport the day after she stole €45,000 from the company safe has escaped a jail term.

Valerie Shaw (aged 52) claimed her ex-boyfriend had previously stole €100,000 from her, forcing her to move back in with her ex-husband. She said she said she stole the money from the supermarket so she would not have to continue living with her ex-husband.

Shaw of Woodvale Avenue, Blanchardstown pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the theft of €45,548 from Superquinn, Main Street, Blanchardstown on February 6, 2010.

Judge Patricia Ryan took into account Shaw’s medical difficulties and previous good character and imposed a four-year term, suspended for four years. She also ordered her to undergo two years' probation supervision.

Garda Stephen Byrne told prosecuting counsel, Mr Kerida Naidoo BL, that Shaw worked in the cash office of the supermarket and had access to the safe.

On February 6, a manager noticed the cash missing and called gardaí. CCTV footage showed Shaw alone in the cash office. She placed her handbag in front of the safe and filled it with cash in various denominations.

Gda Byrne made several efforts to track her down and eventually found her in Dublin Airport the next day. She was going through the departures area to the Airside part of the building when she was arrested.

She told gardaí in interview she had not planned the theft and that it had been “completely impulsive”. She made detailed admissions and estimated that she stole around €43,000.

Defence counsel, Mr Laurence Masterson BL, said Shaw shared a home with her ex-husband and that relations with him were poor.

“I just looked at the safe and thought, if I had that money, I wouldn’t have to go home,” she told gardaí.

Mr Masterson said that after Shaw had split up with her husband, he had bought her out of her share of their home for €130,000. She began going out with a new partner who later “made off” with €97,000 of this, forcing her to move back in with her former husband.

Counsel said his client was very cooperative with gardaí and has no other convictions. He said she suffers from depression and handed in several medical report detailing this.

Mr Masterson added that Shaw had worked all her life and has five children and strong family support.

The court heard all the money had been recovered except for a small amount which Shaw had spent on a hotel the night before her arrest.