Woman who admitted series of thefts has case deferred to see if she can avoid offending
Ciara Louise Stokes (37) of Clon Elagh in Derry admitted a series of thefts on various dates between March 3, 2022 and December 29, 2023
A woman who admitted a series of thefts has had her case deferred at Derry Magistrate's Court today to see if she can avoid offending.
Ciara Louise Stokes (37) of Clon Elagh in Derry admitted a series of thefts on various dates between March 3, 2022 and December 29, 2023.
Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that his client had had a serious addiction problem but was now clean.
He said that she went to a Methadone clinic on a regular basis but one of the issues was that drug dealers regularly congregate outside trying to entice people back to drugs.
Mr Chapman said that Stokes was seeking help and there was 'verifiable evidence' of that.
District Judge Barney McElholm said that 'there was every reason in the world' to send Stokes straight to prison.
He said that the only thing preventing that was the fact she had not re-offended since December.
The judge said that there was 'hope' for Stokes and sending her to prison would not improve anything.
He deferred sentencing until February 7 next to see if she could stay out of trouble and he added if she did so he would impose a non-custodial sentence.