Mother fined for Longford deli theft

A full time mother who paid for water and biscuits at a Longford grocery store but who failed to do the same after ordering a chicken roll from its deli counter, has been convicted and fined.

Judge Seamus Hughes handed down the penalty to full time mother Magdalena Hurlak, 20 Abbeycourt, Frenchpark,Roscommon, after she pleaded guilty to shoplifting at SuperValu, Lanesboro Road, Longford on February 16 2019.

Sgt Paddy McGirl said Ms Hurlak had entered the store at around 2:30pm on the day of the incident and ordered a tuna as well as a chicken fillet roll before putting the items into her handbag. It was also revealed the accused picked up a bottle of water and some biscuits.

Sgt McGirl said while Ms Hurlak paid for the latter items, the goods ordered from the deli area were not.
The total value of the items taken amounted to just under €9. He also told the court Ms Hurlak had four previous convictions, three of which were for theft.

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Defence solicitor Frank Gearty said his client had previously been in Kerry where she had been in a “very difficult” relationship.
In Ireland eight years, he said Ms Hurlak, a Polish national, was now in a stable relationship but at the time of the incident had been going through some personal troubles.Among them, he said, was the tragic death of her mother in a road accident in Poland last November, which he said, “probably set her off.”

Judge Hughes fined Ms Hurlak €105 and afforded her three months to pay.