Woman jumped over counter in takeaway and stole money from the cash register

A 35-year-old woman who jumped over the counter in a takeaway and stole money from the till while the owner was in the kitchen cooking her food has been given a four month sentence at Drogheda District Court.

Louise Woodlock, with an address at Castleview, Duleek pleaded guilty to theft at the Happy Valley Takeaway.

The defendant was also accused of driving with no insurance at Castleview, Duleek on April 16th last year.

Barrister Irene Sands her client was eager to finalise things and was entering a guilty plea to both matters.

She said Woodlock is currently in custody and is serving a sentence until April 28th.

Giving evidence, Sergeant Ray Brady said that on July 23rd, 2019 at approximately 10.20pm, the defendant had entered the Happy Valley Takeaway on the Main Street in Duleek.

He said Woodlock spoke to the owner and ordered food. While the owner was in the kitchen cooking it, the defendant jumped over the counter, took €320 from the till and then left the shop.

She came back five minutes later, collected her food, paid for it and left.

Woodlock was later identified on CCTV.

The court also heard how Woodlock was seen driving an 05 Ford Focus at around 8.15pm on April, 16th, 2019.

She came to a stop at Castleview where gardaí spoke to her and asked for her documents.

There was no insurance displayed on the car at the time and she failed to produce a valid insurance certificate or a valid driving licence within ten days.

Woodlock has 63 previous convictions, including twelve theft matters between March 2018 and February 2019.

Ms Sands said Woodlock is a 35-year-old woman who has struggled with drug addiction in the past but had been clean for 18 years.

She said the defendant lost her mother two years ago and her father just before Christmas.

She is currently on methadone and which is due to end in April 2020.

‘She has a bad record,’ Judge Eirinn McKiernan said. Acknowledging this Ms Sands said Woodlock was eager to dispose of the matter and had met it in as fair a manner as she could.

Judge McKiernan imposed a four month sentence for the theft charge and convicted and disqualified Woodlock from diving for six years.

Ms Sands asked if the judge would consider suspending the last month of the sentence ‘just to give her some light’ but Judge McKiernan said she would not.

‘I won’t, this theft happened very soon after the last ones,’ she said.

Recognisance was fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €300 with an independent surety of €300. is serving a sentence