Cork mother ‘hooked on crack’ told to avoid bad influences in theft case

A Cork mother who came under the negative influence of a number of individuals saw her life “spiral out of control” as she became hooked on crack cocaine, the district court has heard.

Gráinne O’Connor, aged 48, of Art Abhainn, Carrignagroghera, Fermoy, Co Cork, appeared before a recent sitting of Fermoy District Court, where she pleaded guilty to one count of theft.

Court presenter Sergeant Majella O’Sullivan told the court that O’Connor went into a Spar supermarket in Fermoy on December 9, 2024, where she took three rolls and Lucozade to the value of €17.20 and left the shop with the items but did not pay for them.

The court was told that Ms O’Connor was identified by CCTV and the stolen items were not recovered.

The court was told that the accused made full admissions, and she had a total of 21 previous convictions including six under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

The court also heard that Ms O’Connor had brought €20 to compensate the injured party.

Defence solicitor Matthew Bermingham said that his client was a mother of four children, whose issues stemmed from serious addiction problems.

He said that Ms O’Connor had stolen the rolls to feed her children as she had used up her own money to feed her addiction.

Negative influence 

He said that she had fallen in with a group of people from Cork city, where she was attending addiction services, who were a negative influence on her, and she “appears to be in their grip”.

Mr Bermingham said: “These three people in particular seem to be using her for lifts. They have not been helpful and have got her hooked on crack cocaine. She is in serious difficulty.”

Ms O’Connor said her life had “spiralled out of control” but she was determined to cease contact with those who were leading her in a negative direction.

Judge Miriam Walsh said that people like Ms O’Connor who took things from shops whenever they liked “jack up the prices, and it’s not fair on the rest of us”.

She warned Ms O’Connor to cease contact with those people who are “using you”, and added that she would give Ms O’Connor a chance to improve her life.

The case was adjourned until September 12 for the completion of a probation service report.

• This article is fund by the Courts Reporting Scheme.