Woman with 225 previous convictions jailed for latest shoplifting offences

A Cork woman with 225 previous convictions has been jailed for eight months for her two latest shoplifting offences.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said at Cork District Court that Julianne O’Farrell of Marble Hall Park, Douglas, Cork, had 225 previous convictions including 65 for theft and numerous other theft-related charges.

The 31-year-old appeared in court by video link from prison where a plea of guilty was entered to two counts of shoplifting.

Garda Karen O’Leary charged the defendant with stealing €154 worth of clothing from Next at Opera Lane, Cork, on November 21 2022.

Garda Lorraine O’Donovan charged the same woman with shoplifting at Euro Giant on Oliver Plunkett, Cork, on December 19 last year where €10 worth of property was taken.

Sergeant Davis said that in both cases the property was never recovered and the stores were at a loss for the stolen goods.

Defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, said: “Unfortunately, the 31-year-old is well-known to the court. 

"She has been attending for residential treatment for her difficulties. But she fell back into addiction and into her offending behaviour. She is not offering any excuses. She has been in custody since Christmas Eve.” 

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed the eight-month sentence and said the stolen property would never be recovered by the stores.

The sentence will run concurrently with a longer prison term imposed on her for similar offences late last year.