Grandmother who ‘stole trolley full of groceries to feed her children’ avoids jail

Karen Ward (51) was fined €250 when she appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy, who also imposed a two-month sentence suspended for one year.

The defendant, of Moorefield Avenue in Clondalkin, admitted stealing groceries, valued at €356, from Dunnes Stores, Mill Centre in Clondalkin on September 4, 2019.

Garda Sarah Flood told Blanchardstown District Court that Ward was stopped by security staff when she walked out of the shop with the groceries. Gda Flood said the goods were received in a resalable condition.

Ward was very remorseful about her behaviour, and told gardaí she “stole food for her children”.

The defendant also admitted a breach of the peace at Weavers Court in Clondalkin on July 4, 2020. In that incident, Ward was highly intoxicated and was roaring and shouting at members of her family.

The court heard that Ward had 36 previous convictions, but had not been in trouble since 2017. Defence solicitor Simon Fleming said Ward was a mother of three children and a grandmother of five.

She developed an addiction to heroin in her teens, but had been in recovery for years and was focused on staying clean and healthy, Mr Fleming said.

Ward wished to apologise for her behaviour and asked the judge to be as lenient as possible.