Woman charged with stealing over €3K worth of groceries from Longford shops

One of the alleged thefts occurred from Aldi in Longford | File photo by The Longford Leader

placeholder image — One of the alleged thefts occurred from Aldi in Longford | File photo by The Longford Leader

34-year-old Helen Doyle of 25 Ard na Greine Cavan and 2 Elizabeth Court Apartments in Bundoran, Donegal stands accused of multiple thefts of groceries from shops in Longford totalling over €3,000 in value.

A 34 year old woman who is currently before the courts charged with multiple counts of grocery thefts, alleged to have occurred over a variety of dates, is set to appear before Longford District Court again this morning where new charges are expected.

Current charges include thefts of groceries from Lidl worth a total of €1,349, and groceries from Dealz worth a total of €1,033.

In addition to the theft charges - the overall total of which is in excess of €3,000 - 34 year old Helen Doyle of 25 Ard na Greine County Cavan, and 2 Elizabeth Court Apartments in Bundoran, County Donegal, also stands accused of intoxication in a public place.

Doyle last week appeared before Judge Bernadette Owens and was represented in court was barrister, Ross Nestor.

Court Sergeant Mark Mahon stated during the hearing that his application on the matter would be to remand the accused in custody until the November 3 hearing as he understood there were “further charges coming.”

He added there was also a “co-accused in relation to some of the matters” who would be back before the court in the next hearing.

The most recent of the current charges arose from October 21 last, one of which alleges she was intoxicated in a public place, specifically the car park of Aldi situated on the Athlone Road in Longford, while a second charge from the same date alleges the theft of groceries to the value of €70.30, also from Aldi. This charge was addressed in court with Doyle submitting a plea of guilty.

In addition, Doyle was charged with the theft of €196.39 worth of groceries from Tesco Shopping Centre on September 19 this year. She is also alleged to have stolen groceries worth €496.70 from Dealz on Market Square two days earlier on September 14..

A charge relating to the day prior, September 13, alleges she stole groceries to the value of €370.50 from Lidl on the Dublin Road in Longford.

A charge for September 9 concerns the theft of groceries worth €169.25 from Dunnes Stores on the Dublin Road, Longford, while a separate charge for September 8 alleges Doyle stole groceries worth €157.10.

She faces another charge of the theft of €276 worth of groceries from Dealz on Market Square on September 6, and groceries worth €260, also from Dealz, on September 1.

Doyle is also alleged to have stolen groceries to the value of €191.45 a day earlier on August 31 at Lidl on the Dublin Road, Longford while two charges arising from August 22 further alleges Doyle stole groceries worth €124.88, and separately groceries worth €204.70, also from Lidl.

She is charged with the theft of groceries worth €50 from Homesavers in the N4 Axis Centre on July 23 as well as the theft of groceries worth €200 from Lidl in Longford on July 19.

A charge arising from July 6 at Tesco Shopping Centre alleges Doyle stole Febreze Fabric Refresher to the value of €66, while a charge arising from the day prior, July 5, alleges the theft of groceries worth €357.50, also from Tesco Shopping Centre.

Judge Owens directed a probation report for the accused and remanded her in custody with the instruction to appear before the court this morning, November 3.