Cork woman admits stealing from Dunnes Stores twice before doing her grocery shopping

The accused was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 12 months

The woman carried out the thefts twice at Dunne Stores. File picture

A Cork woman who went to her local Dunnes Stores and stole fashion items on two separate occasions has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft in the district court.

At Macroom District Court, Gwen Dineen, aged 51 with an address at Coornahahilly, Inchigeelagh, Co. Cork, elected to have the charges dealt with by Judge Joanne Carroll rather than before a jury in the circuit court.

Court presenter Sergeant Eimear O’Connell said Dineen went to Dunnes Stores in Macroom on March 3, 2026, where she took items including a vest top, sweat pants and a greeting card valued at €47. 

She then went to the grocery section where she did some grocery shopping which she paid for but she did not pay for the other items and left the shop. Dineen was captured on CCTV and the stolen items were not recovered.

On March 11, 2026, Dineen returned to the store and on this occasion took a coat, shoes and a bag valued at €45. Once again she went on to do her grocery shopping which she paid for but she did not pay for the fashion items and left the store. On this occasion the stolen items were recovered.

The court was told that Dineen had nine previous convictions, all of which were for thefts carried out on dates in 2004, 2009, 2019, 2021 and 2026. 

Defence solicitor, Patrick Goold, said Dineen had brought compensation to court for the goods that were not recovered. He said that Dineen was being treated for depression by her GP and before this latest incident her medication was changed which he said may have been a contributing factor.

The court was told that Dineen had “a serious problem of a medical nature” and was “genuinely trying to get out of this”. Mr Goold said Dineen had one autistic child that she cares for and was engaging with probation services.

Judge Carroll said Dineen’s thefts had been “going on a long time” and she noted that her most recent previous conviction was for an offence in September 2025, before her medication was changed in February 2026. The judge said Dineen’s problem needed to be addressed adding “it seems to be fashion items that she takes”. 

For the theft on March 11, Dineen was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 12 months, the theft on March 3 was taken into consideration.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.