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‘Nervous flyer’ stole three bottles of wine from Dublin Airport shop before flight

Malgorzata Pajak (43), who had a “difficult relationship with alcohol”, could not remember why she took the wine, a court heard.

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A “nervous flyer” had been drinking while on medication when she shoplifted bottles of wine in a Dublin Airport shop before a flight.

Malgorzata Pajak (43), who had a “difficult relationship with alcohol”, could not remember why she took the wine, a court heard.

Adjourning the case, Judge Treasa Kelly said she would leave Pajak without a conviction if she made a €100 charity donation.

Pajak, a chef with an address at Cnoc Ard, Letterkenny, Co Donegal pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to theft on January 29.

The court heard Pajak entered Wright’s Food Fayre, took three bottles of wine worth €45 and left without paying

She had no previous convictions.

The accused was originally from Poland and had been in Ireland for 17 years, her solicitor Daniel Hanahoe said.

Pajak had a “difficult relationship with alcohol” and been had flying back to Poland for treatment to deal with that.

She was a nervous flyer, had combined alcohol with medication she was on and did not remember why she carried out the theft.

The accused was now sober and asking to be left without a criminal record, Mr Hanahoe told the court.

“You’re old enough to know that if you’re on medication, you can’t drink,” Judge Kelly told the accused.

Putting the case back to a date next month, the judge said she would decide whether to apply the Probation Act or strike the case out when the money is paid to Merchant’s Quay Ireland.