Man who stole charity collection box from Cork hotel bar jailed

The theft of a children’s charity collection box from the counter of a hotel bar was described by a sentencing judge as “not nice” as she jailed the culprit for three months.

Mark Foley (33) of Cork Simon Community pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to a charge of stealing the collection box.

Sergeant John Kelleher said gardaí went to the Premier Inn at Morrison’s Quay, Cork, after 11pm on November 29, 2024.

The defendant was not a guest at the hotel and he was seen loitering around the bar counter near the foyer of the hotel. He was then seen moving the charity box on the counter towards himself before putting it into a bag and leaving the hotel with the charity box.

Diane Hallahan solicitor said that that the young man’s father had died a short time earlier and the accused was not in a good place.

Mark Foley spoke up in court to tell Judge Mary Dorgan: “I was on a bit of a rampage at the time.” 

Ms Hallahan said the accused was pleading guilty to the theft offence at the earliest possible time.

Judge Dorgan commented that the theft of a charity box for a children’s charity was not a nice type of offence and she imposed a three-month sentence.