Mother who stole €3k and has 155 previous convictions avoids jail

Money was not recovered

A MOTHER of four with 155 previous convictions has received a suspended jail sentence after being convicted of stealing €3,000 in takings from a Limerick café.

Stacey Quinn, 30, with an address at Maigue Way, John Carew Park, Limerick, pleaded guilty at Limerick District Court on Tuesday, to one count of theft.

The court heard she stole €3,000 in cash from a safe at Esquires Coffee, Catherine Street, Limerick.

The theft occurred on December 27, 2018. Garda Sergeant Seán Murray, Roxboro Road Garda Station, prosecuting, said the money was not recovered.

The court was told Ms Quinn had been in custody on remand since January 1 last.

Judge Mary Larkin noted in court that Ms Quinn ‘has 155 previous convictions’.

When the judge requested details of these convictions, Sgt Murray told the court: ‘We don’t have them at the moment.’

Sgt Murray said Ms Quinn’s most recent previous conviction for theft was on March 26, 2016.

In mitigation, Ms Quinn’s solicitor, Darrach McCarthy, said it had been ‘almost three years’ since her last conviction.

‘She was living in accommodation with Focus Ireland and her mother was caring for some of her children. Then she became homeless and things went downwards from there,’ Mr McCarthy said.

He added Ms Quinn ‘has had chronic drug addictions going back years’ and ‘finds life incredibly difficult’.

‘Her only malice was to look for something to fund her [drug] habit.’ He said the ‘bag she took had €3,000 in it’, but that Ms Quinn had not known how much money was in the bag.

Judge Larkin imposed a suspended three-month sentence, and ordered Ms Quinn receive assistance from the probationary services.