'Stealing is not the solution', judge tells man who stole food from Cork supermarket

Accused left Aldi in Fermoy with a trolley containing €88 worth of food for which he did not pay, court heard

Accused was caught on CCTV leaving Aldi with stolen food, court told. File picture

A young Slovakian man who admitted stealing food from a Cork supermarket has been told by a district court judge that stealing is not the solution if he finds himself in difficulty.

Inspector Tony O’Sullivan told Mallow District Court that David Kotulak, aged 19, of Cloughjordan Road, Borrisokane, Co Tipperary was charged with one count of theft relating to an incident that happened in Fermoy, Co Cork, on May 23, 2024.

The court heard Mr Kotulak was in Aldi supermarket in the town pushing a shopping trolley with a large red shopping bag in it and a small child wrapped in a blanket. The bag contained €88 worth of food and Mr Kotulak proceeded to leave the store with the trolley without paying for the items.

The court heard the theft was caught on CCTV and the accused had pleaded guilty. The court was also told  Mr Kotulak had seven previous convictions, three for theft and four for road traffic offences.

Defence solicitor Matthew Bermingham said his client was originally from Slovakia and had been living in Ireland for two years. 

He said he was now working and his young age offered “some hope of rehabilitation”. Mr Kotulak said the child was not his and he had resorted to theft to eat because he had no income.

Judge Colm Roberts said: “He has to understand if he has no money there are places he can go to help him with food so he doesn’t have to steal. The State can give emergency assistance, organisations like the St Vincent de Paul can give assistance. Going and stealing is not the solution if you have no money.”

Mr Kotulak was sentenced to four months in prison, with three months suspended for one year to run consecutively to a sentence he is already serving. He was also ordered to stay out of Aldi in Fermoy for one year. Recognisance for appeal was fixed in his own bond of €500, with €100 in cash.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme