Lifelong drug addict using jail sentence to detoxify, court hears

Susan Greene, 38, pleaded guilty to a number of offences including having heroin and shoplifting at Cork District Court.

A woman in a lifelong battle with drug addiction is still hoping that she can win it, her solicitor said today as she was jailed for five months for her latest crimes.

Susan Greene, 38, pleaded guilty to a number of offences including having heroin and shoplifting at Cork District Court.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said that on July 27, Susan Greene of Cork Simon Community went to Lidl on Cornmarket Street, Cork, and stole a bottle of vodka.

She paid for certain items but put the vodka in her bag and left without paying for it.

On July 30 she came to the attention of gardaí again in Cork city centre where she was handling stolen property. She had a bottle of Kenso perfume and she was asking members of the public to buy it from her.

Most recently on August 7 she was on the sixth floor of the Q car park on Carroll’s Quay taking drugs in a stairwell.

Gardaí arrived at the scene to find a number of people who appeared to be in the act of taking drugs.

The defendant was searched and heroin was found in tinfoil in her handbag. Susan Green admitted having this drug for her own use.

Sgt Lyons said the defendant had 34 previous convictions including four for larceny, eight for theft and three for handling stolen property.

Defence solicitor Joseph Cuddigan said the defendant was pleading guilty to all the charges against her.

He said that she had a chronic addiction and despite previous failed attempts to get off drugs she was continuing in her efforts to deal with the problem.

“Even now in Limerick Prison she is using the period there to detoxify. It is becoming a lifelong battle but she hopes to win,” Mr Cuddigan said.