Ballymena Magistrates' Court heard that Donna Donegan (45), of Richmond Park in the town, had on occasions hidden items below blankets in a child's pram. The defendant appeared via video link from prison. She had gone on a shoplifting spree on May 13 this year.
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. According to her charge sheet she stole clothing worth £57 from The British Heart Foundation; clothing worth £3.95 from Cancer Research UK; clothing from Poundland; items from TK Maxx; clothing worth £66 from Peacock's and clothing worth £100 from H&M.
She also dishonestly received 'stolen goods' from Blue Inc. Advertisement Advertisement Donegan had also stolen items worth £6 from the Iceland shop in Ballymena in July 2022. In September 2023 she took lights, paint and other items worth £173 from The Range.
The defendant placed items in a pram which was pushed by a co-accused. The defendant also took goods from Marks & Spencer in November 2023. The prosecutor said the defendant was pushing a pram and placed the stolen items "under the blanket that was covering the child".
On December 18 she took a toy worth £20 from Cameron's in Ballymena. Advertisement Advertisement She took make-up worth £43 from Boots in Ballymena and goods from Asda in February 2024 and in March this year she stole groceries at Spar on the town's Doury Road. On June 3 this year she again stole items from the Doury Road Spar.
A defence lawyer said her client had been in custody since June. She said Donegan had a "drug problem for a lengthy period of time". The solicitor said the defendant has been engaging with Narcotics Anonymous in prison where she was also exercising and "playing netball regularly".
Advertisement Advertisement The lawyer said her client is off drugs and on methadone; is engaging with a social worker and had found prison "a positive experience". The solicitor said Donegan could not remember some of the offending due to being under the influence of drugs at the time and was "embarrassed by the offending especially the offences which involved thefts from charity shops". District Judge Nigel Broderick said there had been an "element of sophistication" in the shoplifting with a pram being used on at least two occasions.
He said it had been a "multitude" of offending and added: "We read in the media that shoplifting appears to be on the increase in Northern Ireland wether it is people stealing things to sell on for drugs or what the situation is". Advertisement Advertisement The defendant had 33 previous convictions and the judge told her: "It is a sad case that somebody with substance abuse has been unable to tackle that addiction and unfortunately as a result of that addiction you have committed far too many incidents of theft". Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
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