A man who stole €1,100 when he tricked a shop-assistant while buying a bar of chocolate has been given a suspended three-month jail sentence.
Pituan Angel of Malthouse Lane, Alumrock in Birmingham, England appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal.
Angel and another man entered Kavanagh’s supermarket in Buncrana on May 20th, 2017 just before 7pm.
He bought a bar of chocolate and then asked for €50 to be changed into different denominations.
He then distracted the shop-assistant by asking what some sterling notes were in the cash register and took some of the notes in his hand.
When the shop assistant challenged Angel he put them back in the till.
However, when totting up the takings that night it was discovered the till was short by €1,100.
Angel and his accomplice were spotted on CCTV and were arrested shortly afterwards.
Frank Dorrian, solicitor for the accused man, said this was a “ham-fisted” effort at a robbery.
He said his family had put together €1,100 which was to be repaid to the supermarket in full.
The court heard that 34-year-old Angel has 25 previous convictions including many for shoplifting.
Solicitor Dorrian said his client came from an impoverished background and had never gone to school.
However, Judge Paul Kelly said the theft was “deliberate and planned” and said he had to take into account that Angel had a significant previous record.
He sentenced him to three months in jail but suspended the term for 12 months if he agreed to enter a bod to keep the peace.