'Vulnerable' woman admits 18 charges of stealing from 14 graves, including at Christmas

Judge Larkin adjourned sentencing to May 3 at Killaloe District Court for a Probation Report to be carried out. File photo
A 41-year old County Clare woman has pleaded guilty to 18 charges of stealing a range of items from graves at three Clare cemeteries over an 11-month period.
At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis on Tuesday, Mairead O'Sullivan entered 18 separate guilty pleas concerning charges of stealing goods with a combined value of €597.50 from graves at cemeteries at Drumcliffe and Templemaley outside Ennis and also from Tulla cemetery.
Garda Niall Naughton told the court that there are 14 victims in the case as Ms O’Sullivan of Fergus View, Cappahard, Tulla Road, Ennis, stole from the same graves on a number of occasions.
In one grave theft at Tulla cemetery at a point some time on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2020, Ms O’Sullivan stole six ornamental barrels containing flowers valued at €90 which was the property of Edel Hanrahan.
The charges contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences Act) 2001 show that Aileen Tuohy was the victim of Ms O’Sullivan’s grave theft spree on three different occasions in 2020.
Between May 14 and May 16, Ms O’Sullivan stole rose bushes valued at €10 which was the property of Ms Tuohy at Tulla cemetery.
On July 12/13, Ms O’Sullivan stole a flowerpot valued at €2.50 from Ms Tuohy at Tulla cemetery and two months later on September 3/4, Ms O’Sullivan struck again and stole from Ms Tuohy two white solar lanterns valued at €100 from Tulla cemetery.
Other items stolen from graves by Ms O’Sullivan included three dahlia plants, a wicker window box, yellow flowers and flower pots.
The thefts commenced in May 2020 and continued until April of last year before gardaí identified Ms O’Sullivan as the culprit. The charges show that the vast bulk of thefts occurred at Tulla graveyard which was struck 15 times by Ms O’Sullivan over the 11 months.
Judge Mary Larkin asked that the victims in the case be asked if they wish to make victim impact statements “and what level of distress did this cause?” Garda Naughton said that those impacted by Ms O’Sullivan’s thefts “are very decent people and they were concerned for Ms O’Sullivan”.
Solicitor for Ms O’Sullivan, Tara Godfrey, told the court that Ms O’Sullivan “had a certain vulnerability around the time” of the thefts. Ms Godfrey said that the court would be greatly assisted with the intervention of the Probation Service to carry out a report on her client.
Ms Godfrey told the court that her client “has no history of criminality” and added that Ms O’Sullivan is a married mother.
Judge Larkin adjourned sentencing to May 3 at Killaloe District Court for a Probation Report to be carried out. Judge Larkin asked that the Probation Service help determine Ms O’Sullivan’s suitability for community service.