A mother-of-three who had spent more than €100 buying clothing to bring home to children in her native Cameroon has been fined after stealing extra items.
Caroline Kepnang appeared before Letterkenny District Court charged with theft at Penneys in Letterkenny on June 13th last.
Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that Ms Kepnang, of Cruach Mor, Mountain Top, Letterkenny, entered the store and bought a number of items which she paid for.
However, she was stopped by security leaving the store after she had failed to pay for six pairs of leggings and a t-shirt.
She had pleaded guilty to the theft of the other items valued at €17.30.
Solicitor for the accused, Mr Frank Dorrian said his client’s mother had just died in Cameroon and she was returning home for her funeral having lived in Ireland for several years.
She had purchased a number of items of children’s clothing including pyjamas and t-shirts with cartoons on them to the value of more than €100.
She had planned to distribute the clothing to local children once she got home to Cameroon.
However, Mr Dorrian said his client had exhausted her funds and took the other items.
The court was told that Ms Kepnang had a previous conviction for theft but it went back as far as 2017.
Judge Eiteain Cunningham noted there was a previous conviction but said it went back to 2017 and fined Ms Kepnang €100 and allowed her the maximum time of six months to pay.