Tipperary man is jailed for theft and attempting to use a forged prescription

A man who stole items from shops has been jailed for seven months by Nenagh District Court.

Thomas Mulqueen of Connolly Street, Nenagh, pleaded at an earlier court to a number of offences including theft from local stores, and attempting to use a forged prescription.

The court heard that Mr Mulqueen, 56, had 67 previous convictions, including a number for theft.

Mr Mulqueen pleaded last Friday to theft of goods valued at €64.20 from Aldi, Nenagh, on November 6, 2022.

The court heard that this would trigger a Section 99 bond from Limerick District Court where he had been convicted of theft.

He was remanded in custody to Limerick to this Tuesday.

His solicitor, Johnny Spencer, said that Mr Mulqueen was on disability due to an accident and had alcohol addiction issues.

Mr Mulqueen was on 27 different types of medication daily for mental health issues, diabetes, and arthritis, among other ailments.

His client was also waiting on a knee and hip replacement operation.

He had also lost the top of his finger while cutting timber, said Mr Spencer.

He said that when Mr Mulqueen mixed his medication with intoxicants, “his decisions don’t make much sense”.

“He was never going to get away with taking items and leaving the stores,” he said.

The solicitor said that compensation had been fully paid.

Mr Spencer asked Judge Elizabeth MacGrath if she would consider a suspended sentence for his client.

Judge MacGrath jailed Mr Mulqueen for three months for theft of goods valued at €602 from Dunnes Stores, Nenagh, on March 31, 2021.

She jailed him for a further four months, consecutive, for using a forged prescription at Guerins Chemists, Nenagh, on February 7, 2022.