Mother of five jailed for theft of bag from seriously-ill patient

A mother of five, who went into the chapel of University Hospital Galway and stole a handbag from a seriously ill patient, as she had gone to receive Holy Communion, was jailed for 23 months when she appeared before Galway District Court yesterday.

Judge Mary Fahy described as shocking the “thought-out and deliberate” crime spree, many involving charity boxes, undertaken in the last few months by heroin addict, Anne Marie Barrett (33), with an address at 21 The Meadows, Ballybrit.

“It is shocking to think that a mother of five young children would stoop so low, and continue to stoop so low, taking money from vulnerable people,” she said.

Barrett had previous pleaded guilty to the theft of a handbag from the chapel in University Hospital Galway on January 24, and was given time to come up with €500 compensation.

“The injured party was getting treatment for a serious illness, and had left her bag down to go to Communion, and when she came back it was stolen,” Inspector Michael Coppinger told the court.

“The €500 in cash had been taken out because she was going in for treatment and didn’t want to be going to the bank . . . she certainly didn’t need the added stress.”

The defendant, who had 31 previous convictions at the time, was identified through CCTV and subsequently arrested; she was on temporary release from Mountjoy women’s prison at the time.

Yesterday, the court also heard that she went into the restaurant of Galway Clinic on April 11, where she stole a woman’s purse containing vouchers and cash.

Two days later, she entered Bons Secours Hospital and attempted to steal a charity box, but was caught; a short time later she went into the sacristy of the private hospital’s church and took the petition box, which contained money, which she tried to conceal under her jacket.

She also stole a charity boxes from the canteen of GMIT, DID Electrical, Dunnes Stores in Knocknacarra, and the SVP shop on Merchant’s Road, and also attempted to steal money and charity bracelets from Born Clothing in Newtownsmyth.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel