Stole a container of car oil from shop

Mary Crowe, Florenceville, Magheralin, admitted the theft of Castrol GTX oil valued at £8.99 on July 1 this year.

She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.

The court heard that at approximately 4.15pm the defendant entered the NISA store in Main Street, Donaghcloney, and stole the one litre container.

After walking around the store she placed the item in a shopping bag. At the check out she paid for another item but not for the oil.

Police retrieved the item and it was fit for re-sale. Crowe made a full admission.

A solicitor representing the defendant said she was a retired care worker who suffered from anxiety and depression. She understood what she did was wrong.

District Judge Eamonn King said the defendant had one previous conviction of a similar nature.

He was concerned that there was a pattern evolving ‘which had to be nipped in the bud straightaway’.