daylight clobber-y Creche worker's pals 'dared' him to shoplift clothes, court told

A CRECHE worker caught shoplifting clothes from two Dublin stores carried out the thefts after being "dared" by his friends, a court has heard.

Rafael Borreguero (23) had been out drinking with friends but could not blame his actions on alcohol and was old enough that he "should have known better".

Judge Bryan Smyth spared him a criminal record by striking the case out, saying he accepted what happened was one "act of stupidity".

Mr Borreguero, with an address at Jamestown Road, Inchicore, pleaded guilty to theft.

Garda Sergeant Michelle Lynch told Dublin District Court the accused entered Penneys on Mary Street on November 5 last year.

He left without paying for a €19 pair of boots he had taken.

When he was stopped he was also found in possession of €106 worth of clothing he had stolen earlier from Penneys on nearby O'Connell Street.

Mr Borreguero had no previous convictions of any kind, the court heard.

The accused was from Spain and had been in Ireland since last October, his solicitor Brian O'Doherty said.

On the day of the thefts, he had been out drinking, but he was not so intoxicated that he could blame what happened on the alcohol.

"His friends had dared him to go into the shops and take items of clothing," Mr O'Doherty said.

This was "silly at any age" but Borreguero was at an age where he should have known better.

He asked the judge to leave the accused without a criminal record as it would adversely affect his job.

He had €200 in court to offer as a donation to charity.

Judge Smyth said in the circumstances, he would take it that what happened was an act of stupidity.

He struck the charges out, leaving the accused without convictions.

The accused was not required to address the court during the hearing.