Cork man who went on shoplifting spree around city to fund his drug addiction is jailed

Defendant pleaded guilty to carrying out shoplifting offences of about €2,700 worth of goods

Defendant stole €300 worth of cosmetics from Boots and women's clothing and steaks from Tesco in Mahon Point, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

High-end goods were targeted by a 47-year-old man for the purpose of selling them to pay for his drug addiction, a judge said as he jailed the culprit for a total of eight months for his latest crimes.

Edward Daly, of 8 Inchera Lawn, Mahon, Cork, pleaded guilty to carrying out the latest shoplifting offences of about €2,700 worth of goods.

Judge David Waters said: “He was particularly targeting shoplifting items of high value, presumably for re-sale.” Daly pleaded guilty to five different counts of theft.

Sergeant John Dineen said that before these new offences, Edward Daly had clocked up 124 convictions, including 77 counts of theft.

Judge Waters said the main mitigating factor was that the defendant had entered an early plea of guilty.

A sentence of eight months was imposed on him and these latest convictions triggered the re-entry of a previously suspended sentence. Bail conditions were set for the re-entry and for appealing the sentence that would require a total cash lodgement of €600 by the accused.

On August 3, he stole more than €1,700 worth of property at Dunnes Stores, Ballincollig, consisting of meat, razor blades and toothbrushes.

He admitted that on April 9, at SuperValu in Ballincollig, he stole 12 bottles of spirits and other items with a value of over €300. 

On August 27, at Boots Pharmacy in Mahon Point, he stole almost €300 worth of cosmetics.

On September 12, he stole €300 worth of items — women’s clothing and air fresheners — at Tesco, Mahon Point.

He stole five steaks and three cans of coke on in the most recent crime, committed on September 13, at Tesco, Mahon Point.