'Last chance saloon' for Waterford resident given suspended sentence for theft

A man who defrauded a shop in Roscrea in Co Tipperary out of €200 was given a suspended jail sentence by Judge Philip O’Leary in Nenagh District Court.

Romanian national Poca Munteanu, 23, of 63 Manor Street, Waterford, pleaded to theft at Spar, Birr Road, Roscrea, on July 2, 2022.

Sgt Regina McCarthy told the court that Mr Munteanu entered the shop with others and asked for two Paysafe vouchers, each valued at €100, which were printed off by a staff member.

Mr Munteanu distracted the staff member and photographs were taken of the vouchers. The defendant then told the staff member that he didn’t have the €200 and would have to leave the vouchers.

However, the information on the photographs was later used to make personal gain for himself and another male.

When the staff at the store later tried to cancel the vouchers they discovered that they had already being used.

The court was told that the defendant had 17 previous convictions, which included a total of eight that were theft related.

His latest appearance had been before Ennis District Court where he had been given a three-month suspended prison sentence in relation to a theft offence.

Defending solicitor Johnny Spencer said his client had moved from Romania to Ireland six years ago. His girlfriend was currently pregnant and he was unemployed, having lost a job in the construction sector some time ago.

Mr Spencer told the court that Mr Munteanu was currently under the supervision of the probation service in Waterford where staff were trying to help him find a job.

Mr Spencer said the defendant had pleaded guilty to the offence in Roscrea and he urged the court to take account of that fact when imposing penalty.

The defendant, who said that he had already spent three months in prison last year, handed in €100 to the court in compensation for his part in the crime at Roscrea. The other male who was involved had not been identified to date.

Mr Spencer said that if the court ruled that his client should pay the shop the full €200 in compensation due then funds could be taken from a previous bail surety of over €1,000 that the defendant had handed in.

He agreed that his client had to be “careful going forward. He is anxious to avoid a custodial sentence.”

Judge O’Leary imposed a three-month prison sentence, suspended on condition that the defendant be of good behaviour for three months and pay the full compensation due within that time.

“You can advise your client that he is in the last chance saloon,” the judge told Mr Spencer.