Five months for theft of vacuums

A Meath man has been jailed for five months for his role in a “cool, calculated outing” that resulted in the theft of several thousand euros worth of high-end domestic cleaning equipment from a local supermarket.

Martin Stokes of Castlemeadows, Trim, came before Judge Stephanie Coggins at the vacation sittings of Cavan District Court last Thursday already with 32 convictions to his name. His most recent was dated only last February, at Trim District Court, where he got a four month jail term for theft with several other similar charges taken into account.

Before that it was road traffic matters in January, and prior to that again he received custodial sentences for theft in Mullingar in November 2024 (five months), days earlier in Athlone (four months); and Tullamore (four months).

He appeared before court via video-link from Dublin’s Cloverhill Prison, and was represented by barrister Dimitri Grinberg.

The Cavan charge relates to the theft of four Miele Cordless vacuum cleaners from Foy’s SuperValu, Homevalue and Euronics in Cootehill on August 18, 2020. The total value of the goods taken amounted to €2,400, and Stokes was convicted in his absence after the case was initially listed for hearing at Cavan District Court in early March.

Recalling the case, Judge Coggins noted that Stokes had been one of a number of people who “worked as a team” to steal the items.

Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.