Drug Addiction | 

Mum-of-six is jailed for shoplifting goods to sell at ‘knockdown prices’

Theresa McNamara (43) was addicted to drugs and stealing to get money to feed her habit at the time, a court heard.

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A mother of six who repeatedly shoplifted goods to sell on at “knockdown prices” has been jailed for 10 months.

Theresa McNamara (43) was addicted to drugs and stealing to get money to feed her habit at the time, a court heard.

McNamara, with an address at Meile An Ri Road, Balgaddy, Lucan, admitted to multiple thefts and other charges.

Dublin District Court heard she stole hundreds of euros worth of candles, groceries, clothing, hair products and cosmetics from shops including Tesco and Marks & Spencer in Liffey Valley; Eurospar on Ballyowen Road, Lucan; Penneys on Mary Street; More4Less on Ballyfermot Road and pharmacies in Ballyfermot.

The offences happened between 2021 and 2023.

Often, McNamara was stopped by store security and the goods were recovered but at other times, she got away without being caught and was identified later on CCTV.

On some occasions, she had foil-lined bags to try to get past security sensors.

The court heard gardaí found her acting suspiciously behind a parked car at North Lotts in Dublin city centre on April 30 last year. She tried to leave the scene but was caught and found with a shopping bag full of stolen clothing, with security tags still attached. The same thing happened on May 4 last year.

In another incident, on April 27, 2021, she got a taxi to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and asked the cabbie to wait for her but never returned to pay the €31 that built up.

McNamara had €50 worth of crack cocaine on her when gardaí stopped her in Balgaddy on February 4, 2021.

The accused was struggling with an addiction at the time of the offences, her barrister Luke O’Higgins said.

“She was stealing items to sell at knockdown prices so she could obtain her next fix,” he said.

McNamara cared deeply for her children and tried to be a good mother, Mr O’Higgins said.

She felt shame that they had had to grow up with a mother who was addicted.

McNamara had been on drugs for nearly 20 years and had been through phases where she was able to get clean, Mr O’Higgins said.

However, when she moved to Clondalkin there were “dealers all around her”, even “standing outside the window of her home.”

She was currently addressing her problem, he added.

Judge Bryan Smyth noted the accused had had 20 bench warrants issued for her arrest and said a jail sentence was warranted. He imposed a series of consecutive one-month sentences.