This article is from page 12 of the 2014-02-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
AN ENNIS woman has received an 18-month prison sentence for a string of offences including stealing money from a pensioner and assaulting a garda.
Ann Marie Molloy stole € 200 from 85-year-old Anne McCullagh as the pensioner walked through Paddy Quinn’s car park in Ennis on November 1, 2013.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Detective Garda Claire O’Shaughnessy said Ms Molloy grabbed Ms McCullagh’s handbag before running away.
“She was extremely upset and crying. She was tramautised by the whole experience,” said Detective O’Shaughnessy of Ms McCullagh’s condition after the theft.
Ann Marie Molloy, with an address at Ballaghboy Halting Site, Quin Road Ennis, pleaded guilty to punching and kicking a female garda at Ennis Garda Station on May 14, 2012. She also pleaded guilty to a number of other theft and trespass offences including a break in at the Maria Assumpta Hall, Station Road, Ennis, between August 29 and 31, 2012, and theft of a wallet from a woman in a cinema on February 12, 2013.
She also admitted damaging post boxes at the Mill Road apartment complex. The court heard it cost the owner € 595 to repair to damage.
Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client came from a large family of 13. She said Ms Molloy has learning difficulties and a drinking problem. “She’s a lovely lady with a horrible problem with drink,” she added.
Ms Godfrey urged the court not to impose custodial sentence but rather remand her client in custody for a period to “frighten her into understanding what she did”.
An offer to pay compensation to Ms McCullagh was rejected by Judge Patrick Durcan. He said he was not impressed by people who bring money to court trying to buy their way out of jail. He said he would much rather hear compensation had already been paid.
He said Ms Molloy engaged in “horrendous criminal activity” over a 12-month period. He said he was cognizant of her family background, physical and intellectual difficulties and problems with alcohol.
In the case of the theft from Ms McCullagh, Judge Durcan said the victim had “gallantly and valiantly fought back but had been left in a distressed state”. He imposed sentences totalling 18 months. Judge Durcan warned assaults against gardaí and the robbery of old women would be met with the toughest measures open to the court. Recognizance were set in the event of an appeal.