Cork man jailed for 'really horrible' crime of stealing phone from elderly hospital patient

Accused told court prison was not rehabilitation but a 'business racket'

Elderly woman was sleeping in Mercy University Hospital when accused stole her mobile phone, court heard. Picture: Denis Scannell

A “really horrible” crime of stealing a mobile phone from the bedside of an elderly patient at Mercy University Hospital as she slept resulted in the culprit being jailed for 10 months.

When Judge Mary Dorgan urged 49-year-old Jerry Foley to get counselling while in prison, he complained by video link to Cork District Court: “Prison is not rehabilitation, it’s just a business racket. There is no bereavement counselling, there is no school.”