Young man from Carlow receives sentence after stealing handbag in shopping centre

A teenager admitted to stealing a handbag containing almost €2,500 from a shop in Portlaoise. 

Cody Alcock, 18, of 73 St Mary’s Park, Carlow admitted stealing a handbag containing €2,480 from Hale Vaping in Laois Shopping Centre on July 21 last year. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said gardai had received a report from Hale Vaping in Laois Shopping Centre that a male had stolen a black handbag from the shop counter. The bag contained €2,080 in takings and a further €400 in cash belonging to its owner, said Sgt Kirby. 

“He was identified as the male on high quality CCTV and observed getting into a vehicle,” Sgt Kirby told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court. 

He said the defendant, who has 26 previous convictions, was cooperative when arrested. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client had only one previous conviction for theft. 

“He has been in custody since October 19 on this,” she said. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had grown up in an “irregular environment” and his parents were both substance abusers. She said he had “witnessed domestic violence” and was using drugs at the time of the offence. 

“He has very little recollection of the incident,” she said. 

She said the man didn’t believe he was making progress in dealing with substance abuse while detained in Oberstown. 

“He himself was the victim of a very serious assault,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.   

The defendant told the court that he needed to have an operation to have metal bars inserted in his hand. 

Judge Andrew Cody said the victim of the theft didn’t deserve what had happened to her. 

He imposed a four month sentence on the defendant and granted legal aid.