Man stole €700 worth of steaks out of 'desperation', court told

Accused jailed for five months for various thefts across Cork City shops

A total of 11 separate thefts were carried out in stores across Cork City. File picture

Hundreds of euro worth of steaks were stolen from various shops in Cork city, and now the 47-year-old culprit has been jailed for five months.

Sergeant John Dineen outlined details of 11 separate thefts carried out by the accused, including one in June when he stole €297 worth of steaks from Aldi in Blackpool.

The total amount of steaks stolen during the summer by Adam Kiely, of no fixed address, amounted to over €700. More than €300 worth of washing products, including washing machine pods, were also stolen.

Sgt Dineen said the accused man told gardaí he was carrying out these thefts to sell them to buy intoxicants.

Solicitor Eddie Burke said: “He lived in England for a good number of years. He returned a year ago. All his documents were lost or taken. He could not get services in this country. He could not be accommodated.

"Invariably, he lived on the streets and had no resources. He carried out these offences purely to survive.”

Kiely pleaded guilty to all of the theft charges and to public order offences and one count of possession of a scissors and a Stanley blade to be used in connection with carrying out thefts.

Mr Burke said the defendant did not have many previous convictions and that the ones before the court on this occasion were committed out of desperation.