A woman nabbed stealing clothes from Penneys in Letterkenny was caught with cannabis in her possession.
Sylwia Marczenia appeared before Letterkenny District Court this week.
Marczenia was charged in connection with an incident on June 8, 2023. Marczenia was charged with stealing clothing to the value of €28 from Penneys at Letterkenny Shopping Centre.
Staff in the store detained Marczenia after detecting her stealing the clothes. Gardai viewed CCTV and identified Marczenia, a 47-year-old, as the culprit.
After her arrest, gardai detected a smell of cannabis from Marczenia. She handed over two cannabis buds wrapped in tinfoil.
Marczenia told gardai that she was using cannabis for pain relief.
Mr Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for Marczenia, told the court that his client is a single mother who works part time and receives assistance from the State.
A typed letter from Marczenia was handed into the court.
“She is apologetic, ashamed and embarrassed,” Mr Gallagher said. “She is getting assistance and she has not been before this court before or come to the attention of gardai since the incident.”
The goods stolen were returned to Penneys in a resalable condition.
Mr Gallagher said he was ‘pushing the boat out’, but asked that the court consider asking his client to make a donation rather than convict Marczenia.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham adjourned the matter until January 22, 2024. “We’ll see how she gets over Christmas,” Judge Cunningham said.