Judge says 'high value' items targeted in Cork theft spree

High end goods were targeted by a 47-year-old man for the purpose of selling them to pay for his drug addiction, a judge commented as he jailed the culprit for a total of eight months for his latest crimes.

Edward Daly of 8 Inchera Lawn, Mahon, Cork, pleaded guilty to carrying out the latest shoplifting offences, involving a total of approximately €2,700 worth of goods.

Judge David Waters said: “He was targeting shoplifting items of high value for resale.”

Daly pleaded guilty to five different counts of theft.

Sergeant John Dineen said that before these new offences, Edward Daly had clocked up 124 convictions, including 77 counts of theft.

Judge Waters said that the main mitigating factor was that the defendant had entered an early plea of guilty.

A sentence of eight months was imposed on him and these latest convictions triggered the re-entry of a previously suspended sentence. Bail conditions were set for the re-entry and for appealing the sentence that would require a total cash lodgement of €600 by the accused.

On August 3 he stole over €1,700 worth of property at Dunnes Stores, Ballincollig, consisting of meat, razor blades and toothbrushes.

He admitted that on April 9 at Supervalu in Ballincollig he stole 12 bottles of spirits and other items with a total value of over €300.

On August 27 at Boots Pharmacy in Mahon Point, he stole almost €300 worth of cosmetics.

Over €300 worth of items — women’s clothing and air fresheners — were taken by him at Tesco, Mahon Point, on September 12.

He stole five steaks and three cans of Coke in the most recent crime, committed on September 13, at Tesco in Mahon Point.