Woman smiles as she is jailed for 'extremely nasty' theft in Cork hospital

Donna Dineen stole a woman's jacket while they were both waiting in the emergency unit of Mercy University Hospital. File picture: Larry Cummins

A patient lying on a trolley at the accident and emergency unit of Mercy University Hospital had her jacket stolen as she waited, a court in Cork has heard.

On Monday the culprit was jailed for five months for what the sentencing judge described as an extremely nasty crime.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed the sentence on 29-year-old Donna Dineen of Fellowship House, Spur Hill, Cork, at Cork District Court. The young woman pleaded guilty to carrying out the theft. 

Sergeant Dave Delea said the same woman had 67 previous convictions. They included carrying out thefts 15 times before. She also had nine previous convictions for assaults and seven for engaging in threatening behaviour.

Donna Dineen smiled broadly as the five-month jail term was imposed on her for this latest theft.

Sgt Delea outlined the background to the offence which was carried out some time between 11pm and 5.44am.

“A female patient on a trolley had her jacket stolen by Donna Dineen while both of them were attending the A&E. Ms Dineen took the jacket belonging to the injured party and left the hospital.” 

The defendant was arrested and questioned subsequently and she made full admissions to stealing the jacket.

Defence solicitor, Michael Quinlan, said: “She is on remand since March. Her sister died while (Donna Dineen) was in custody in September.” 

Judge Mary Dorgan took this mitigation into consideration but commented: “This was an extremely nasty thing to do when a person was at their most vulnerable on a trolley in hospital.”