A Newry woman who walked a £440 trolley of goods out of The Range in Portadown has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
Rosanna Mongan, of Parkview Drive in Cloghoge, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday following the incident, which took place on February 23.
The 28-year-old was handed the suspended custodial sentence instead of a community order, given she is a mother-of-five, but was warned that any further offending and she will end up behind bars.
Mongan and another man walked into The Range at approximately 4.20pm on the day in question before placing an air fryer, digital mini oven, two floor mats, a cordless vac and two boxes of washing up pods into a trolley.
The male subsequently left the store first before Mongan “rushed” the trolley of goods out the door shortly before 5.30pm.
A prosecution solicitor told the court: “[Mongan] walked past all checkouts and made no efforts to pay. The Meadows Shopping Centre security worker observed her walking through the exit of the shopping centre and the items then being placed into the boot of a Peugeot vehicle.
“The female then entered the vehicle and exited the car park. Computer system checks on the vehicle showed the defendant insured on the Peugeot. Police attended the defendant’s home and she was arrested.”
The Peugeot was parked outside the property and was searched. Police located a doormat in the boot with a Range label attached, however, police conducted a search of the property and no items were located.
Full admissions to the offences were made in interview.
Mongan’s defence solicitor described it as “not the most sophisticated offence in the world”, adding that he was concerned about the statement in a pre-sentence report whereby Mongan “essentially justified the theft on the basis that had she spent the money she had, she wouldn’t have been able to spend it on her children”.
He added: “Her conduct, obviously, was not that of a right-thinking individual; it’s warped logic in terms of why she committed this theft.”
District Judge Rafferty, handing down the sentence, also ordered Mongan to pay back the full £443.89 to The Range. She was given 26 weeks to do so.
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