‘Brazen’ theft from Kilkenny business - garda search recovered items

Ceramics and textiles worth more than €1,600 were stolen from a Kilkenny business, Kilkenny District Court has heard.

In what was described as a ‘brazen’ theft, Sonja Delaney, Shalom, Ballybuckley, Bree, Enniscorthy, took several loads of items from a table in the Nicholas Mosse pottery showroom, then left without paying for them.
The theft took place on October 26, 2024.

Among the items taken were a ceramic jug, a ceramic lamp, a cake stand, cushion covers, table runners and other items. The total value of the items was €1,670.15.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor told the court that the crime was seen on CCTV. Ms Delaney entered the premises with another person.
She came back in on three occasions and left without paying.

Some days later Ms Delaney was arrested and questioned. She admitted the theft. A search warrant had been executed and the property recovered.
There were nine previous convictions recorded against Ms Delaney.

Solicitor Joe Farrell said his client apologised for the theft.
When the search warrant was executed she was shocked, this had never happened to her before, he said. Another person was involved in the theft but his client took all the blame, Mr Farrell said.

Ms Delaney had brought €500 to court as a token of her remorse.
The solicitor said his client admitted ‘nobody put a gun to her head to do it’.
He asked the court not to impose a custodial sentence and instead consider a community based penalty.

Mr Farrell said he would describe the theft as a ‘little brazen’ as it was on CCTV. Ms Delaney did not put the gardaí to any difficulty with her admissions, he added.

Judge Geraldine Carthy said she was taking the mitigation evidence and Ms Delaney’s previous convictions into consideration.

Ms Delaney was convicted of theft and sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
She was directed to engage fully with the Probation Service, be of good behaviour and told to give the €500 she had in court to Carlow Kilkenny Homecare.