A MAN WHO stole a handbag which contained €2 from a 78-year-old woman has been sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Michael McDonagh (58) of Kylemore Avenue, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, pleaded guilty to one count of theft outside an Applegreen service station in the Dublin 8 area on November 9, 2020. He has 83 previous convictions.

Passing the sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said that “two men accosted this woman, and she was menaced”.

Judge Nolan said McDonagh has a long history of offending and had a long history of homelessness.

The judge said the defendant had shown remorse and entered a guilty plea. He also said, “It seems he is doing quite well now.”

He also accepted that there was no violence involved.

Judge Nolan said this defendant had to “endure a custodial term” and sentenced McDonagh to fifteen months in prison.

A local garda told Jennifer Jackson, BL, prosecuting, that they received a call on the date in question that a theft had taken place.

When gardaí arrived, they were informed that a 78-year-old lady had been robbed and her purse taken. CCTV footage was viewed, and a description of the two men was given to gardai on patrol.

The court heard that the woman had returned to her home.When gardaí arrived, she was in a state of shock and unable to make a statement at that time.

She later told gardai that she had been to see her doctor and stopped off at the service station to pick up milk and bread on her way home.

She said two men approached her and asked for her purse. McDonagh and his co-accused took the handbag, which only contained €2.

Minutes later, gardaí saw a male who matched McDonagh’s description changing out of his jacket. He was arrested, detained and interviewed twice. The woman did not wish to provide a victim impact statement to the court.

The garda agreed with Anne Fitzgibbons, BL, defending, that at the time, her client was a chronic alcoholic but has now gone through treatment and is a changed man.

The garda agreed with counsel that McDonagh was very intoxicated when he was arrested, and a doctor had to be called twice to assess him. He also agreed that the guilty plea was valuable.

Fitzgibbons said her client had been homeless for 10-15 years and, on the date in question, was “tipping or begging outside the service station”.

Counsel said her client has now been provided housing through “Housing First” and engages with support workers daily who were also present in court.

She said McDonagh is remorseful and embarrassed for his actions.

She also noted that he has not come to the attention of the gardaí since he entered residential treatment in 2023.