A mother who went on a shoplifting spree had started to take drugs “late in life” when her adult children moved out of home and she found herself with “time on her hands,” a court heard.
isa Mason (45) only got involved in drugs at the age of 42, when she moved into a “bad area” where the problem was “rampant”.
Judge David McHugh jailed her for a year on sample counts from a total of 20 charges over a three-year period.
Mason, of Greenfort Lawns, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Blanchardstown District Court to theft.
The court heard she put €184 worth of cosmetics into her handbag in Boots, Liffey Valley on September 21, 2020 and was stopped by security.
When she was stopped stealing items from the same shop on March 15, 2021, she also had another person’s debit card in her pocket.
Mason attempted to run when staff at Tesco, Liffey Valley caught her trying to leave with €985 worth of electronics and toiletries. A garda said she was called to Penneys, Liffey Valley last August 12.
This had been a “very chastening” experience for her as she was not used to being in the confines of a prison setting
Mason was aggressive and verbally abused security who confronted her and stopped her stealing €106 worth of clothes.
She provided a false name on arrest. The property was recovered in a saleable condition.
The court heard Mason also shoplifted groceries and toiletries from Lidl, Fonthill Road and Superdrug, Liffey Valley on separate dates in 2019.
She had no previous convictions.
It was a “very unusual case” as Mason “came late” to drugs at the age of 42, after her adult children moved out and she found herself with “time on her hands,” defence solicitor John O’Doherty said. It was out of character for her.
Mason was already in custody when she appeared in court and this had been a “very chastening” experience for her as she was not used to being in the confines of a prison setting, Mr O’Doherty said, asking the judge for leniency.
The judge imposed two concurrent six-month sentences on two of the charges.
As well as jailing her, Judge McHugh gave her another nine-month suspended sentence, with a condition that she continues in rehab on release.
That sentence was suspended for a year. He took the remaining charges into consideration.
