A mother-of-three with a record for theft has been warned that if she does not co-operate with the probation service then she runs the risk of going to jail.
Lisa McDonagh (36) of Carran Crescent, Drumclay, appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Wednesday for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to theft and criminal damage charges.
The charges related to two incidents last year, the first on August 2nd when she attempted to steal a TV to the value of £234 belonging to ASDA using a knife.
The court heard that a 2.20pm on the date in question, McDonagh had been observed on CCTV attempting to remove the security tags from the TV with the knife.
The security tag was damaged beyond repair but the attempt to steal the TV had been unsuccessful.
When later questioned by police about the incident, McDonagh admitted that it was her on the CCTV when shown it but said she had no recollection of the incident or no money to pay for the TV.
She was charged with attempted theft, going equipped for theft and criminal damage.
The second charges of theft and criminal damage relate to an incident just days later on August 13 when McDonagh was again observed on CCTV.
Wearing a black top and trousers, she entered the Vodafone store in Enniskillen and stole an iPhone valued at £330 which she placed in her pocket. In the process, she also damaged a security puck, a type of padlock, at the store.
The damage to the display cost £80 to repair while the phone was never recovered.
At her sentencing hearing last week, District Judge Nigel Broderick pointed out McDonagh was in breach of a suspended sentence for a similar offence.
Having read her pre-sentence report, Judge Broderick said he was not happy with the case as he had previously deferred McDonagh’s sentencing to see if she could stay out of trouble.
He noted from the report that she hadn’t really engaged with probation as ordered.
Judge Broderick warned McDonagh she was in danger of going to prison. He requested a letter from her GP as to whether her mobility issues were a valid reason for her non-attendance with probation.
“She is at real risk of imprisonment and if the penny doesn’t drop so be it,” the judge added as he adjourned the case until September 13th.
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