Cook stole money from his employer
A Taste of Louth, which returns to Marshes Shopping Centre this weekend, is a celebration of the great artisan food producers and craft producers in the north east.
A whole host of top class artisan producers are taking part in the festival with lots of culinary delights and bespoke crafts, so that you can get your Christmas shopping off to an early start.
There will be a wide range of tasty treats including sauces, cakes, cheeses, chutneys, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, cordials, and traybakes, as well as dog treats. Crafts and gifts include candles, photography, toys and books, sunglasses, jewellery, handknits and crochet.
The festival gets underway on Friday with the ever popular Taste of Louth Cupcake Challenge for secondary schools in the county.
The art competition for primary school children is open until tomorrow Wednesday evening and entry forms can be downloaded at www.tasteoflouth.com
The Festival is organised by The Parents & Friends of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland and is supported by Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce and Louth Economic Forum. The organisers wish to thank The Marshes and McArdle Meats for their support.
A Taste of Louth is a fundraiser for the CBOI, whose Peace Proms 2020 season gets under way in mid-January and run to mid-March with a total of fifteen concerts taking place throughout Ireland, Northern Ireland and the U.K. Peace Proms 2020 will be conducted by internationally acclaimed UK music educator Greg Beardsel and singers Lauren Murphy and Cobhla Surlis, violinist Patricia Treacy, and All-Ireland Champion uilleann piper Conal Duffy, along with the Colmcille Pipe and Drum Corps from Derry; Pipe Major Grahame Harris from Belfast, the Michelle Johnston Highland Dancers and others. ‘A terrible breach of trust,’ is how a judge has described the actions of a 35-year-old man who stole almost €600 from his employer over a six-week period.
Paul McCallion, 14 Mariners Court, Blackrock, pleaded guilty to a total of 18 trespass and theft charges, offences which occurred between 24 August and 4 October, 2018, at Belle’s Tea Rooms, Main Street, Blackrock.
Dundalk court heard the accused worked a cook in the cafe and was a keyholder.
Sgt Fintan McGroder gave evidence that the thefts occurred after hours when the premises was closed.
McCallion took money from the till and tips’ jar, usually €20
Jacqueline McGinn and David Caraher at the Take 2 Production of St. Joseph’s GFC ‘Lip Sync’ fundraising night in The Fairways Hotel. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics at a time. On three dates he stole €50 and on two occasions €40. On the last date, 4 October, €55 was stolen.
Because money was taken from the tips’ jar, the total loss was approximately €595, Sgt McGroder added.
Judge McKiernan heard the matter came to light when the owner became suspicious and reviewed CCTV footage.
McCallion has one previous conviction from 2011 for drink driving.
His solicitor Barry Callan said he made a full admission, and had €600 compensation in court.
Mr Callan continued the defendant worked in the hospitality industry since doing his
Leaving Cert.
Alcoholism was at the root of all this.
McCallion completed a residential programme in Cuan Mhuire in 2012, but ‘fell off the wagon’ in 2018.
He had been working for two years at the time in the tea rooms where he held a position of trust and was a keyholder.
What he did was essentially to feed his alcohol habit.
The solicitor added his client has returned to Cuan Mhuire for treatment and plans to stay on there to work as a volunteer, work he finds therapeutic.
McCallion is on €200 social welfare per-week, from which he pays €150 to Cuan Mhuire.
He is in a relationship and has no children. His partner was present supporting him.
While this involved a breach of trust, Mr Callan asked the court to apply the probation act and not convict his client.
However, Judge McKiernan remarked she couldn’t do that.
‘It was a terrible breach of trust over a period of time,’ she said.
Mr Callan suggested a probation report be sought. He believed McCallion is at a low risk of re-offending but is not qualified to say that.
Making ‘no guarantees’, the judge remanded the defendant on continuing bail to 5 February for a probation report.