Kildare thief jailed for 20 months
Photo for illustrative purposes only
A WOMAN who stole a handbag off one woman in Athy and a phone of another in the town was sentenced to 20 months in prison recently.
Danielle Murphy (33) with an address at White Oaks Court, Newbridge appeared in Athy District Court for sentencing from custody where she has been for the last eight months on unrelated offences, with a release date in June 2027.
Sergeant Mary Meade refreshed the court’s memory by listing out the charges to which Ms Murphy had already pleaded guilty.
On St Patrick’s Day, 2024 she stole the handbag on Canal Walk – no value was given out – while on 9 February, on Market Square in Newbridge. “She asked a friend if she could lend her her phone to make a call, then she ran off and never returned it”.
The Samsung phone was valued at €70.
Ms Murphy was also pleading to the theft of a four-pack of Linden Village from Centra in Roseberry, Newbridge on 7 February 2024, and the very next day to possession of heroin and cocaine worth €40 in Dara Park in the town.
She also pleaded to the theft of over €100 of unrecovered groceries from Aldi in Athy on two dates within a week in October 2024.
The sergeant explained that Ms Murphy had 34 previous convictions, the most recent for which she is serving a two-year sentence was in July 2025.
“Since being in custody, she has begun methadone treatment, and that is currently being reduced,” said her barrister Hugo Mills.
“She expects to be off heroin when she gets out of prison.
“She is a 33-year-old woman with four children.” What your future?” asked Judge Desmond Zaidan.
“I’m hoping to turn myself around and I have done a domestic violence course,” said Ms Murphy.
“We are optimistic of her circumstances, and don’t expect to hear from her again,” said Mr Mills.
The judge sentenced her to 10 months in prison for the mobile phone, and a further 10 months for the handbag, to be served consecutively, with all other offences taken into consideration.
