Man (19) pays ¤200 to woman he robbed as she gave him lift

A 19-year-old father-of-one who stole a woman’s purse while she was giving him a lift has been told he may avoid a conviction if he carries out six months charity work to “cleanse his soul.”

Brandon Smith of New Caltragh, Sligo, was back in court to hand in ¤200 to his victim, Ms Philomena Quinn.

He had been told the week before (July 13th) to bring the sum to court or he’d go to prison.

Smith pleaded guilty to stealing Ms Quinn’s purse containing £20 Sterling as she gave him a lift home on December 19 th 2016.

The court heard Smith then went to a bookies and spent ¤180 using her bank card.

Smith told Judge Kevin Kilrane he felt “not really good” about his crime.

“Did you apologise to Ms Quinn?” asked the judge.

“I called to her house but there was no answer,” replied Smith. “I’m terribly sorry Judge, I really am,” he added.

Judge Kilrane said it was an “appalling offence” to steal a purse from her car. “If that wasn’t bad enough, he went and used her card to the tune of ¤180. That was in December 2016 and up to last week he still hadn’t repaid that money,” said the judge.

He added that there were very few mitigating factors. Inspector Donal Sweeney said Smith was involved in a similar incident in January but the injured party didn’t want to proceed with the case.

His father told Judge Kilrane he felt terrible about it and promised him he wouldn’t see his son in court again.

The judge remanded Smith on continuing bail to 28th June 2018 and said he may deal with the matter short of a conviction but only if Smith carried out six months of charity work: “It will involve him doing good deeds to cleanse his soul.”