Woman with 43 convictions has theft ‘compulsion’

A woman who took two bottles of Captain Morgan from a local supermarket suffers from a compulsion, Bray District Court heard last week.

Karen O’Callaghan (48), 10 Hazelwood, Bray, took the bottles of rum from Dunnes Stores on Quinsboro Road on July 13, 2016.

Gardaí stopped her at Bray Dart Station and recovered the items.

She admitted that she had taken them. Bray District court heheard last week that O’Callaghan has 43 previous convictions, mamainly for theft.

Solicitor Joe Maguire said that this pattern began after the mumurder of her former partner in 2004. He said that she suffers frofrom post traumatic stress disorder and depression. She had nonot come to garda attention prior to 2004, said Mr Maguire.

‘She can offer no explanation,’ said Mr Maguire. ‘She doesn’t eveven drink Captain Morgan.’

Mr Maguire said that this was the result of a compulsion anand that she is very embarrassed.

‘How can she be embarrassed at this stage? She has 43 previous convictions,’ said Judge David Kennedy. Mr Maguire said that O’Callaghan loses control of herself. Judge Kennedy said that people who own shops are losing out, as are customers who consequently have to pay higher prices.

‘ These are only the times she has been caught,’ he said. Judge Kennedy said that he would adjourn the matter for a psychiatric report and probation report.

‘I don’t want to send her to jail give the circumstances but it can’t be allowed to continue. This has been going on for too long,’ he said. The case was put back to October 9.