‘spontaneous decision’ | 

Mum of two stole Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses from Dublin Airport shop

Today at 07:52

A mother of two who shoplifted a pair of designer sunglasses at Dublin Airport had them in her suitcase when gardaí stopped her.

Edel Walsh (41) made a “spontaneous decision” to steal the €225 glasses while she was in the airport, a court heard.

Judge Treasa Kelly fined her €200.

Walsh, from Carton Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to stealing a pair of Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses in the incident.

Garda Kieran McQuaid told Dublin District Court he was called to a reported theft at the Sunglasses Hut in Terminal 1 on September 19 this year.

He was told a woman in a purple tracksuit had placed sunglasses into her pocket and left without paying. Minutes later, Gda McQuaid said, he found Walsh sitting in a bar in the terminal and when questioned, she opened her suitcase and handed him the sunglasses, stating she forgot to pay for them.

She was arrested and made no reply when charged. Walsh had previous theft convictions.

The accused had made a “spontaneous decision” at the airport and when stopped she was cooperative, her solicitor Michael French said.

Walsh was on disability allowance and was raising her children on her own, which was “quite a challenge for her”, Mr French said.

She was very remorseful for the theft, he added, asking the judge for leniency.

Judge Kelly said although Walsh told gardaí she had forgotten to pay for the sunglasses, she had been seen putting them in her pocket and then they were then put into her suitcase.

The DPP consented to the case being dealt with in the district court.

Judge Kelly accepted jurisdiction after hearing the evidence, and convicted and fined the accused.