Three women guilty of stealing money from Bunclody laundrette

THREE women have been found guilty of theft from a Bunclody laundrette following a three-day trial at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court.

Ann Marie Quilligan (37) of Ryland Road, Bunclody and also with an address of 6 Blackberry Lane, Athlone Co Westmeath; Ann Quilligan (30) of 7 The Cottages, Carrick-on-Suir Co Tipperary and Priscilla Stokes (32) of Kilcohan Park, Waterford were found guilty by a jury of eight men and four women following deliberations of under 40 minutes.

They had been charged with the theft of €850 in cash and a cheque for €81 at D&M Laundrette, Main St, Bunclody on May 2, 2015. All three women had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Linda Byrne told the court she was working alone in the laundrette on the Saturday in question. As it was a quiet afternoon, she had been preparing the lodgements from the week’s takings. She said there was around €850 in cash and a cheque for €81 under the till.

At approximately 3.25pm Ms Byrne said a lady, accompanied by a young boy, entered the shop asking for curtains for an O’Connor.

When Ms Byrne went out the back to search for the curtains, she observed a second woman with blonde hair entering the shop. This woman proceeded to stand in the door way between the shop and the storage area at the back where Ms Byrne was looking for the curtains. Ms Byrne heard a noise that sounded like coins.

When Ms Byrne returned to the shop area, she observed a third woman standing at the counter with a large bag. Her suspicions were immediately aroused, she told the court.

Ms Byrne told the woman to put back what she had taken, as she was certain that money had been taken. The three women denied they had taken anything and promptly left the laundrette.

Ms Byrne followed them to their parked car, took note of the car registration and rang the gardai. Mr Derek Nally, a director of Bunclody Community Development Ltd, told the court that the company had funded the installation of CCTV for Bunclody town.

He said he received a request from Garda Dan Whelan to view the CCTV system in relation to the incident. All relative footage was handed over to gardai, Mr Nally said.

Garda Eugene Brennan told the court that he had been driving in the patrol car with Garda Jason Lawlor in the Ferns area when they received a message over the radio regarding a shop robbery in Bunclody. Details of the car registration were also given.

Garda Brennan said they observed the car in question travelling away from Bunclody near Ballycarney. The patrol car turned around and followed the car, which pulled in. The three women in the car were arrested and brought to Enniscorthy Garda Station.

Garda Brennan said €55 was found on Priscilla Stokes and €45 on Ann Marie Quilligan. Replying to counsel for the defence he said there was no sum of €850 found on the accused while the cheque for €81 was also not found.

Garda Whelan in evidence told the court that he searched the vehicle along with Garda Seamus Killeen while he also secured the CCTV from Derek Nally. He downloaded the footage which was in keeping with the allegations made by Linda Byrne.

Garda Whelan told Defence Counsel that he did not carry out a forensic examination of the cash register as it was in use following the incident.

Following the charges of Defence Counsel and Judge Quinn the jury retired to consider a verdict. Following an absence of 37 minutes they returned a guilty verdict on all three accused.

Defence Counsel for all three asked for the preparation of Probation Welfare reports.

Judge Quinn said he would adjourn sentencing to May 2 next.