Man stole from cash from Laois charity shop volunteer

A man stole from charity shop volunteers while they worked in a Portlaoise store. 

Neculai Danila (28) of 5 Belvedere Place, Mountjoy Square, Dublin admitted to burglary at St Vincent de Paul shop, 1 Dublin Road, Portlaoise on June 27, 2023. 

Garda John O’Keefe told the court that in reply to the charge the defendant said: “I say sorry for this. It was to buy food for myself.” 

Garda O’Keefe said the man had entered the St Vincent de Paul shop on the Dublin Road at around 3.50pm on the date in question. He browsed in the shop before going into a restricted section, Garda O’Keefe explained. 

Once in the restricted section, the man took €180 in cash from a handbag belonging to one of the volunteers. 

Judge Andrew Cody described it as “a nasty crime” to have committed against people who were trying to help. 

“If he had asked for it he would have got it, probably,” said Judge Cody. 

Garda O’Keefe told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court that the defendant had three previous convictions. 

Solicitor Philip Meagher said his client was pleading guilty to the offence. He said the man was serving a sentence in Wheatfield Prison and had a release date of April 2026. 

He acknowledged the “mean deed” carried out by his client was worse given who it had been perpetrated against.  

“Stealing from people who are doing such good work for people in his position,” said Mr Meagher. 

He said the man apologised and is doing well in custody and was an enhanced prisoner who was going to school and using the gym. 

“He accepts how mean an act it was,” said Mr Meagher. 

Judge Andrew Cody sentenced the man to two months in prison to begin on the expiry of the sentence he is serving. He said the sentence would have been six months had the man not entered a guilty plea.