Cork woman jailed for theft of high-value items, including meat

Meat products were among the items targeted by a woman carrying out shoplifting offences around Cork city and now she has been jailed for six months.

Judge David Waters imposed this sentence on Sandra Robinson of St John’s Tce, World’s End, Kinsale, Co Cork, at Cork District Court.

“This is targeted theft of high-value items, it is not stealing for subsistence,” Judge Waters said.

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said that the 34-year-old woman from Bandon had a good start in life, did very well in her Leaving Certificate, and then went to the UK with her partner, where she worked as a health care assistant for six years.

Mr Kelleher said that she was traumatised by grief when her brother died in an accident on a holiday in Portugal, and she had “a complete breakdown”.

At this time, she encountered heroin and she ended up getting into trouble as a result.

Her aim now, her solicitor said, is to stay off heroin and return to the UK and get her life back together.

Noting that she had previously received a number of suspended sentences in the past, Judge Waters said the time for suspended sentences had passed.

He imposed a six-month prison term for a litany of shoplifting offences.

On March 18, at HMV at Merchants Quay, the 34-year-old stole €120 worth of electronic items.

On September 13, she stole selected meat products from Tesco, Paul St, Cork.

On September 24, she stole €84 worth of meat at Tesco Express, South Main St.

On September 29, she stole curtains and bedclothes valued at a total of €230 at Next on Opera Lane.

She stole €50 groceries from Tesco, Mahon Point shopping centre, on October 4.

On October 9, at Marks and Spencer, she stole €185 worth of meat.