Woman jailed after theft of €24 worth of groceries from Aldi in Cork

A mother-of-three is starting a ten-month jail term as a result of the theft of €24 worth of groceries from an Aldi supermarket.

What made the shoplifting offence by Mary Cash more serious was the fact that she had 36 previous convictions for theft.

So a sentence of three months was imposed on her for this latest offence committed on September 25 2023 in Aldi at The Elysian building in Cork.

Compounding matters, the 38-year-old woman had a ten-month suspended jail sentence hanging over her. That sentence had been imposed for previous thefts but suspended on condition that she would not commit any more offences for the following year.

The September 25 offence triggered an application by the prosecution to revoke that suspension. Judge Mary Dorgan acceded to the application and now Mary Cash of 9 Spring View Terrace, Commons Road, Cork, is facing into a ten-month prison term.

Shane Collins-Daly, defence solicitor, said the accused had tragic and very difficult personal circumstances.

In recent year two of her brothers and one sister died. 

“She suffers from her mental health. She has never gotten bereavement counselling. She probably should get that,” Mr Collins-Daly said.

Last month the same defendant appealed unsuccessfully against another three-month jail term for shoplifting. 

That sentence, the new sentence of three months and the revoked suspension on the ten-month term will all run concurrently.

Judge Dorgan wished the young woman well, expressing the hope that she gets some of the care she needs while in prison to deal with the difficulties which she has.