Ennis woman with 'horrendous record' jailed for stealing trolley full of goods from Penneys

The mother of small children had stolen goods from Penneys, a pharmacy and a Lifestyle shop on the same day

Judge Keane imposed a combined 13-month jail term on the woman — a six-month jail term for the Penneys theft, a three-month jail term for the Duffy’s pharmacy theft to run consecutively and four months for handling stolen goods to also run consecutive to the other jail terms. File picture

A judge has jailed a mother of small children for 13 months for a 90-minute thieving spree in Ennis that included her walking out of Penneys in Ennis with a trolley containing a €873 load of items.

At a sitting of Ennis District Court, Judge Marie Keane commented that Michelle Maughan (38) of Stonecourt, Drumbiggle, Ennis, has “a horrendous record” after being told that the Ennis woman has 189 previous convictions that include 120 previous convictions for theft.

Judge Keane also stated that Ms Maughan suffers from “a chronic drug habit” after she was found in possession of a small amount of cocaine on the day. Sgt Louis Moloney said that on August 3 last at 3.41pm, Ms Maughan entered Penneys store on Ennis’s Francis Street with a trolley and left a short time later with €873 worth of goods.

Sgt Moloney said that at 4.55pm Michelle Maughan then went to Duffy’s Pharmacy in the same shopping centre and took cosmetics to the value of €96.55.

Sgt Moloney further stated that Ms Maughan then entered Tesco and stole items to the value of €21.95. He said that Ms Maughan was arrested and shortly after Garda Amy O’Connor conducted a search and recovered €273 worth of goods that were stolen from a Limerick Lifestyle store at 11.35am on the same day.

The sergeant said that gathered CCTV showed Ms Maughan taking items at Lifestyle in Limerick city. Sgt Moloney said that the goods from Penneys, Duffy’s pharmacy and Lifestyle were recovered.

Judge Keane imposed a combined 13-month jail term on Ms Maughan — a six-month jail term for the Penneys theft, a three-month jail term for the Duffy’s pharmacy theft to run consecutively and four months for handling stolen goods to also run consecutive to the other jail terms.

Mitigation

Solicitor for Ms Maughan, Tara Godfrey, said that her client was suffering from mental health issues at the time. Ms Godfrey said that on the day Ms Maughan “was confused and very upset and very badly mentally ill”.

Ms Godfrey said that Ms Maughan had been released from Limerick prison and through Probation Service supervision, they got her a job in a local hair salon in Ennis sweeping up hair on the floor. Ms Godfrey said that Ms Maughan carried out this work and went to the Tesco shopping centre.

The solicitor said that Ms Maughan “thought she hadn’t been stealing as she had not left the front door of the Tesco complex”. Ms Godfrey said that it was never her client’s intention to steal from any of these places.

Ms Godfrey said that before August 3, Ms Maughan had not committed any offences since her prison release and was adhering to conditions aimed at her rehabilitation. The solicitor stated that Ms Maughan apologises unreservedly for her actions and has pleaded guilty to the offences.