Cork man snatched designer handbag worth €2,500 from woman dining in city centre wine bar

Louis Vuitton bag was recovered by a member of the public and returned to the owner, court heard

The Louis Vuitton handbag was snatched from a chair in a Cork wine bar. File picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

A Louis Vuitton bag costing €2,500 was snatched from a chair at a wine bar on MacCurtain Street in Cork by a man who ran up the street with it — only to be caught by a member of the public.

Inspector James O’Donovan outlined the details of the theft that was carried out on MacCurtain Street on January 17, 2024.

The woman was dining at a table in Nell’s Wine Bar after 9.30pm that night when the designer handbag was snatched.

“A member of the public recovered it a short distance away and it was returned to the owner,” Insp O’Donovan said.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

Now, at Cork District Court, defendant John Campion, 36, of Cork Simon Community, has pleaded guilty to the charge of theft.

Insp O’Donovan said the accused had 92 previous convictions, of which nine were for theft, three for deception and 12 for burglary.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, suggested the matter would probably have been dealt with in the context of earlier sentencing but it did not come to court with other offences dealt with at this time.

“He is originally from the Mallow area. He had been in treatment and he is trying to get back into it,” Mr Burke said.

Judge Philip O’Leary said: “I am going to give him a suspended sentence. He has an inveterate difficulty with thefts.” 

The judge imposed a sentence of five months suspended on condition he would keep the peace for the next 12 months.