Thief caught on CCTV stealing €12,800 diamond ring

Bernadette McDonagh, from 6 Francis Street, Edenderry, Co. Offaly had been given a choice of either carrying out community service under the supervision of the probation service or serve a prison sentence in lieu, when the matter came before Galway District Court in April.

She pleaded guilty at the time to the theft of a one-carat, round, brilliant-cut diamond, set in a four-claw platinum mount, with a wide platinum shank, valued at €12,800 from Tempo Antiques, Cross Street, on August 10 last year.

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Sentence was adjourned for McDonagh’s suitability to carry out community service be assessed by the probation service.

A negative report was handed into court last Wednesday.

Defence barrister, Garry McDonald, said McDonagh had told the probation officer she could not do community service because she was a full-time carer for her partner, her sister and her young child. She had health problems herself too, he added.

Judge Mary Fahy recalled that a very expensive ring had been stolen and that McDonagh had no problem with her partner, sister or child on the day she left Offaly and travelled to Galway to steal the ring.

Mr McDonald said the ring had been recovered immediately.

Judge Fahy said she had accepted McDonagh’s guilty plea in April and had given her a chance to avoid a custodial sentence by doing community service as the ring had been recovered immediately.

Sergeant Aoife Curley corrected this. She said the ring had only been recovered following an appeal on Crimecall and it had not been recovered immediately, as suggested by Mr McDonald.

Mr McDonald said McDonagh had no previous convictions and this had been a “once-off”.

Judge Fahy said McDonagh had no difficulties when she left Offaly with her partner and came down to Galway that day.

“She didn’t have to look after her sick partner or her sister that day. I don’t see any medical report that her partner needs care or her sister needs care or she’s in bad health herself,” Judge Fahy added.

Mr McDonald said his client had instructed him she would now do a few hours’ community service one day a week.

Judge Fahy said that wasn’t good enough and that McDonagh had thrown the chance she had been given back in the court’s face.

She sentenced McDonagh to six months in prison and refused the barrister’s application to suspend the sentence.

“The manner in which she had dealt with this leaves a lot to be desired. She’s treated this as if it was a packet of frozen peas,” Judge Fahy said.

Leave to appeal the sentence was granted