Teenager stole €15 from old woman with dementia
By Brendan Grehan
A TEENAGER who stole €15 from an 89-year-old woman with dementia while burgling her house was remanded for sentencing by Tallaght Court.
Judge Patricia McNamara heard that Carmen Nicolae entered the woman’s house on the pretence of going to the toilet.
Nicolae, aged 19, with an address at Rosevale Court, Blakestown Road, Blanchards-town, pleaded guity to burglary at an address at Lower Dodder Road, Rathfarnham, on April 16, 2016.
Sergeant Michael Ahern told the court that at 3.30pm on April 16 last, Nicolae knocked on the door of a house on Lower Dodder Road and an 89-year-old with dementia opened the door.
He said Nicolae asked if she could use the toilet.
Sgt Ahern said that a short time later, another woman who lived in the house heard a noise upstairs.
As she went up the stairs she met Nicolae who came down the stairs and left the house. Sgt Ahern said it transpired that Nicolae had stolen €15 from the injured party’s handbag.
He said Nicolae had three previous convictions. In November 2015, she had received a one-month suspended sentence for custody of a false instrument.
Nicolae’s solicitor, Michael Hennessy said it was “a nightmare situation”.
He added: “I would suggest that if anything shows her remorse is that she didn’t force the injured party to come to court to give evidence.”
He said: “I think that society at large would profit from the intervention of the probation services”.
Judge McNamara replied: “Society would benefit if she was put into custody, so that she could not steal from defenceless people”.
Mr Hennessy said she has one child aged two and is expecting another. He said Nicolae was ashamed of what she did.
Mr Hennessy said his client wanted to repay the money stolen. The Judge asked if it was in court.
Mr Hennessy said it wasn’t.
Judge McNamara said that because of the victim’s directive she would like a victim impact statement.
She remanded Nicolae on bail to October for a probation report and sentencing.
