Woman on temporary release jailed again for shoplifting

A woman given temporary release from jail very soon after she received a six-month prison sentence for thefts went shoplifting again when she got out and today she was given another prison sentence.

33-year-old Julianne O’Farrell of Marble Hall Park, Douglas Rd, Cork, also appeared at Cork District Court after her early release and was granted bail on the strict condition that she would not commit further offences.

Judge Mary Dorgan recalled that O’Farrell told her she wanted to spend Christmas with her family and would not commit any further offences if released.

However, she was arrested and brought before a special sitting of Cork District Court last Saturday. She was charged on that occasion with three new counts of shoplifting. They included stealing a gift set at Kilkenny design shop on Emmet Place on December 11 and stealing items at Claire’s Accessories in Cork city on December 13.

Today at the same court she appeared by video link from prison and indicated through her solicitor, Shane Collins Daly, that she was pleading guilty to the new charges.

The judge said she was disappointed the woman was now getting this sentence before Christmas having failed to stay out of further trouble. Mr Collins-Daly said the 33-year-old was pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity. She has 234 previous convictions — 85 of which were for theft.