Longford mother fined for handling stolen property

Carmel Stokes, 6 Catron Breac, Longford pleaded guilty to being found in possession of a Rug Doctor carpet cleaner valued at €470 at McDonald’s Car Park, Axis Centre, Red Cow Roundabout, Longford on July 16 2018.

Sgt Mark Mahon said Ms Stokes was arrested by Garda Eric Naughton shortly after 3pm and later charged.

He said the item was recovered and returned to its rightful owner, pausing to reveal Ms Stokes had nine previous convictions on her record.

In defence, solicitor Fiona Baxter said her client had bought the item in good faith and had tried to sell it off at a later stage on Done Deal.

She also explained how her client was a mother of three children, aged six, four and two and had cooperated at every possible juncture with Garda Naughton.

Sgt Mahon said gardaí learned about the loss of the reported item after being contacted by a UK based company.
He said the cleaning product had been hired out by home improvement retailer Homebase.

It was a statement which seemed to strike a chord with Judge Seamus Hughes, who commented: “People go in and they hire them for the weekend but never return them.”

Ms Baxter, in reiterating her earlier point, said her client had purchased the item, causing Ms Stokes to shed further light on her alleged involvement in the incident.

“My husband bought it at the time,” she said.

“I think it was about €300.”

Wearing a green jumper and blue jeans, Ms Stokes was fined €105 by Judge Hughes and given three months to pay.