Courts / Dublin / Report

Clothes thief fled with security guard clinging to bonnet

Date
2025-10-23
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Carley Hopkins, 35, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, theft and production of an article for stealing €246 worth of clothing from Dundrum Town Centre on 12 February 2023. She fled with a security officer clinging to her car's bonnet, driving off while the officer held onto the bonnet until she reached the barrier. Hopkins admitted the offence at the scene and in a Garda interview, expressed remorse, and handed over her car keys. She is a part‑time cleaner, suffers mental health difficulties, and cares for her mother, cousin and teenage child. Judge Patricia Codd sentenced her to two and a half years for endangerment and 18 months for theft, both concurrent, and suspended the entire sentence for three years. The production of an article charge was also considered.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Clothes thief fled with security guard clinging to bonnet. Charges or matters: one count of endangerment, one count of theft and one count of production of an article in the form of a tin foil-lined shopping bag on February 12, 2023, at Dundrum Town Centre. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Carley Hopkins

Defendant

Charges: one count of endangerment, one count of theft and one count of production of an article in the form of a tin foil-lined shopping bag on February 12, 2023, at Dundrum Town Centre (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Codd sentenced Hopkins to two and a half years in prison on the endangerment count and 18 months on the theft count, both of which are to run concurrently. She then suspended the sentence in full for three years.

Places mentioned

Residence
  • North Great Clarence Street
  • Dublin
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Secondary Mention

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

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