Longford District Court: Four months for stealing handbag in bookies

Patrick Maughan, Lavender Cottage, Farnagh Hill, Longford appeared before Judge Fiona Lydon charged with stealing a handbag at Paddy Power Bookmaker, Ballymahon Street, Longford on September 4, 2017.

During a previous sitting Inspector Paul Kilcoyne said that on the date in question a woman left her handbag down on the counter in the Paddy Power betting shop.
He pointed out that the defendant subsequently came along, took the purse and left the betting shop thereafter.

The court heard there had been €125 in cash in the handbag as well as €85 worth of uncashed betting slips.

A social welfare card was also stolen in the incident.
In mitigation, Mr Maughan’s solicitor Fiona Baxter said her client - who was currently serving a sentence in respect of a separate matter - was due for release on May 29 next, and was “anxious” to avoid having that sentence extended.

Meanwhile, Judge Lydon - who had requested a victim impact statement during the previous sitting - was told that the victim in the case refused to attend court, but had expressed disappointment to the Gardaí that her handbag and personal items had never been recovered.

The Judge subsequently handed down a four month jail term before bringing proceedings to a conclusion.