Recidivist criminal with over 100 previous convictions escapes extra jail time after Longford thefts

Eileen O'Toole (37) 626 South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty at last week's sitting of Longford District Court to stealing€1,100 worth of alcohol and groceries from SuperValu at Longford's Hazelwood Shopping Centre, Athlone Road, Longford on June 14, 2022.

It also emerged Ms O'Toole had been in the same shopping precinct exactly seven days earlier where she stole three bottles of perfume valued at €100 from Wards Pharmacy.

But it was the theft during which the recovering drug addict was apprehended by a security guard as she attempted to flee which dominated much of the ten minute hearing.

Sgt Mark Mahon, for the State, said Ms O'Toole was observed pushing and placing a “large number of items” into a trolley and passing all points of sale.

Sgt Mahon said as she attempted to leave, Ms O'Toole was confronted by a security guard.

He said a struggle ensued and a small “multi-tool” fell from the accused onto the ground.

He qualified this, however, by saying Ms O'Toole may have been carrying it for “other reasons” and not for the purposes of arming herself to carry out the theft.

Sgt Mahon said the accused had 105 previous convictions to her name, the last of which was recorded in July 2021.

Ms O'Toole's defence solicitor told the court the accused was someone whose past clouded by a chronic drug problem.

Judge Bernadette Owens was told Ms O'Toole was currently working as a cleaner in prison, was drug free and hoping to continue with her rehabilitation upon her expected release date on June 24, 2023.

Judge Owens imposed a three month sentence on each theft incident, both of which she ordered to run concurrently and concurrent to the sentence she is currently serving.