Jail sentence suspended on appeal

A woman described as a “career criminal” in the district court where she was jailed for five months for stealing €1,695.37 worth of assorted items from Dunnes Stores has had that sentence suspended on appeal.

Fiona Maughan of Domville Road, Dublin, was one of three people who entered the Church Street department store in Cavan Town via the elevators from the underground carpark and attempted to escape the same way, albeit with a full trolley of items not yet paid for, on November 17, 2022.

She appeared before Judge Raymond Finnegan in the Cavan District Court in October 2024 where she pleaded guilty and was jailed the offence.

The evidence outlined to Judge Sarah Berkley, who heard the appeal against severity at Cavan Circuit Court, was that Maughan filled one of two trolleys with goods and left “after making no effort to pay for the items”.

She was identified on CCTV, and the goods were recovered.

Mum of three Maughan had 27 previous convictions at the time, including for seven for theft, collecting convictions across the country.

It was stated to Judge Berkley that Maughan had been influenced by others, having succumbed to desperation following the death of her husband.

It was further noted that one of the appellant’s children had “significant health difficulties”.

“She was struggling with grief at the time,” said Niamh Murtagh Quinn BL, instructed by solicitor Niall Fox. “She admits herself she was keeping poor company.”

The items Maughan stole were all for herself and her children, the court was told.

“In recent times she has found stability,” asserted the barrister.

“If she’s caring for her children how is she driving to all of these places?” asked Judge Berkley. “Where are her children? In school?”

Ms Murtagh Quinn said the “final hammer” was the sentence handed down in Cavan, which meant Maughan’s kids risked going into care.

How to “deter” Maughan from stealing in future was the challenge set by the judge who increased the term to nine months and suspended that for a period of two years.