Cork man carried out shoplifting spree around city supermarkets to pay for his crack cocaine addiction

Accused, who has 100 previous convictions, 55 of them for theft, was jailed for 11 months

It is alleged accused stole €247 worth of items from Tesco on Paul Street and €238 worth of bottles of alcohol from Tesco in Mahon Point.

A 45-year-old man with a catalogue of shoplifting convictions carried out “to pay for his heroin and crack cocaine addiction” was jailed on Thursday for 11 months for his latest spree of stealing from shops in Cork City.

Edward Daly, of 8 Inchera Lawn, Mahon, Cork, has 100 previous convictions, 55 of them for theft, Sergeant Aisling Murphy told Cork District Court.

And on Thursday, he was given the total sentence of 11 months for what Judge Mary Dorgan described as a recent batch of offences and an earlier batch of offences between February and November 2024.

Judge Dorgan said: “He has been all over the city. He has been in Mahon and Hollyhill, he has been in both shopping centres in Douglas, but in particular he has been in the Mahon/Blackrock area.” 

Many of the offences also occurred at premises in the city centre.

“When you add up all the money involved, it is quite sizable. There is a considerable loss to shopkeepers,” Judge Dorgan said.

Defence solicitor Thomas Coughlan said of the accused: “He is extremely polite and never rises to a challenge He is docile and always cooperative.

“His behaviour was part of panoply in feeding his addiction. He understands the retailers of Cork suffered a loss as a result of his addiction.

“He is visibly improved since going into prison last week.” 

The defendant himself said by video link from prison: “Being put into prison is helping me to get into treatment faster.” 

Judge Dorgan acknowledged a very difficult background for the accused, but said she had to balance that with the extensive losses experienced by shopkeepers.

Garda Tim O’Callaghan said by his own admission the accused had an addiction to heroin and crack cocaine. He added gardaí were concerned the accused man would commit further theft offences to pay for these addictions.

The latest seven theft charges refer to Lidl on Clashduv Road, Togher, Cork, on June 6; Aldi at Skehard Road, Cork, on June 27, and again on July 1; on that same date Tesco Paul Street shopping centre; Scally’s SuperValu on Skehard Road on May 29; Tesco in Mahon Point shopping centre on July 11 and on July 17.

Sergeant Dineen said some of the alleged thefts were of small amounts of property. But in respect of Tesco at Paul Street, it is alleged €247 worth of items were stolen, and that in Tesco, Mahon Point, €238 worth of bottles of alcohol was stolen on another occasion.