South Donegal man fined €300 after stealing groceries from Killybegs shop

A South Donegal man has been fined €300 after pleading guilty to stealing groceries from a Killybegs supermarket.

Markus Presley, 74, of Carricknagore, Bruckless, was given five months to pay the €300 fine by Judge Éiteáin Cunningham at Donegal District Court at Ballyshannon Courthouse. 

Judge Cunningham also directed Presley to donate €100 to go to Donegal Women’s Aid, at the request of staff at Supervalu in Killybegs. 

Presley was convicted of stealing property, to wit, groceries, valued at €62.17 from Supervalu in Killybegs, on January 13, 2023. He was found to be in contravention of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

A separate offence, of stealing groceries to the value of €37.23 on January 6, 2023, from Supervalu in Killybegs, was taken into consideration by Judge Cunningham.

Presley’s solicitor, Rory O’Brien, told the court that Presley had previously pleaded guilty in court.

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In discussing a probation report into Presley, O’Brien said: “It was very extensive. It went deep into Mr Presley’s background and the positions he had in life, which were very positive. He was involved in a significant amount of coaching. He had previously been married and has a good relationship with his family as it stands.  

“He has had difficult issues that he has had to suffer from. He had surgery on his spine. 

“He now has a very strong engagement with services provided with fresh accommodation. He is relatively insulated from the outside world, but not in a negative way.”

Judge Cunningham, in fining and convicting Presley, said she had taken into account what Mr O’Brien had said.