‘Playing silly beggars with court’, judge tells women

A judge has accused two women who admitted taking two young children with them to shoplift in Mullingar of “playing silly beggars” with the judicial process when they failed to show up for their sentencing.

Louise McDonagh (34), 4 Brookfield Park, Rochfortbridge, Westmeath and her 32-year-old co-accused also Louise McDonagh, of Castlelost Vale, Rochfortbridge, Westmeath had previously pleaded guilty to the theft of more than €200 worth of items from Sports Direct, Pearse Street, Mullingar, Westmeath on October 5, 2024.

At that hearing in June, Judge Bernadette Owens learned that both women had “entered the shop with children” aged six and four at the time.

Both women had been remanded on bail to October 2 for compensation to be paid.

Defence solicitor for both women Louis Kiernan said despite the pair having appeared during the morning session of the court, they were unable to remain in the court following the lunch break due to childcare issues.

“They were well able to be in town when they wanted to be,” replied an infuriated Judge Owens as she empathised with the predicament Mr Kiernan was in.

“It’s not your fault they are not here,” she told him. “But anyone who looked at the (court) list would have known they were in for a long day.”

Judge Owens’ exasperation intensified minutes later when she looked at the court file to see that a bench warrant had also been issued on October 2 when the case was last back before her.

“They are just playing silly beggars with the court,” she said, while informing Mr Kiernan of the thin judicial ground the older of the two accused was on.

“You can tell Louise McDonagh, date of birth September 1991, she has to be here, and if she is not, a bench warrant will be issued and I will consider custody.”

Both women were remanded in absence to Mullingar District Court on January 8, 2026.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme