Courts / Dublin / Report

Serial shop lifter jailed for designer handbag theft

Summary

Catherine Gaffney, aged 52, was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury in June of stealing three Chanel handbags from Brown Thomas on Grafton Street on 28 March 2015. The handbags, valued at €10,150, were discovered missing during a stock take and CCTV footage showed Gaffney hiding them in her own bag. She was arrested after Gardaí identified her as a suspect. Gaffney had 35 prior convictions for shop‑lifting offences and six for larceny, and was on bail for another offence at the time of the theft. She had previously been convicted of further crimes. Her defence lawyer noted her family responsibilities and her efforts to address an alcohol problem. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced her to two years in prison, suspending the final year of that term.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Serial shop lifter jailed for designer handbag theft. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• March 28, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2018-11-26 Publication

Why: Mr Rea said his client had had two substantial falls in the recent past; one of which led to a fractured skull and she needed a hip replacement because of the second fall. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report